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THE INFANT SAVIOUR. 




TALKS TO CHILDREN 


A ROUT 

J ESUS. 


BY 

If u 

~YY\ intcT\ ,'H annAtCCWy RS. ». B. MORTON. 

\\ 

AUTHOR OB ' 'FRIEND -IN--NEED PAPERS ” ‘"WEE DGNAL.D> 
“EIQHTY YEARS AGO, ETC. 



W7 » 


BALTIMORE, MD,: 

H. R. WOODWARD COMPANY. 
1894. 


'vs'V^^ 


COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY 

R. H. Woodward Company. 


The Libra ey 

OF CfyVn ),> :;sg) 

WASHINGTON 


Lrv\yj r«,34- 


PREFACE. 


Of the many books which have been written specially foi 
children, to tell the wonderful story of our Redeemer’s Life 
on Earth, those for the little ones are strangely incomplete; 
whilst others, suited for more advanced intellects, are beyond 
the comprehension of the very young. 

In the following pages, therefore, my endeavor has been to 
give the Gospel Story almost in full ; yet in s^ch simple 
language as to be readily understood by a child of four — or 
even less. 

This little work is not didactic. It has been my aim rather 
to let the Story of Jesus tell its own exquisite tale; believing 
that it possesses, in this, its simplest form, a peculiar fascina- 
tion for the young mind. 

I would wish to acknowledge the great assistance I have 
derived in my work from that most useful and suggestive 
book (invaluable to the Sunday-school teacher), Lessons on the 
Life of our Lord , by Eugene Stock. 

Farrar’s Life of Christ has also helped me much in telling 
my story to the little ones. 


H. M. 



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TRA.C& 



CONTENTS 


chap. page. 

I. Why Jesus came 13 

II. The Virgin Mary 17 

Matt. i. 20, 21. Euke i. 26-38. 

III. The Birth oe Jesus 20 

Euke ii. 1-20. 

IV. The Presentation in the Tempee 25 

Euke ii. 21-38. 

V. The Wise Men . 30 

Matt. ii. 1-12. 

VI. What King Herod Did 34 

Matt. ii. 13-23. 

VII. The Boyhood of Jesus 37 

Euke ii. 40-52. 

VIII. The Baptism of Jesus 47 

Matt. iii. 1-17. John i. 32-34. 

IX. The Temptation 53 

Matt. iv. 1-11. 

X. The Discipees of Jesus 60 

Euke iv. 14, 15. John i. 35-51. 

XI. The First Miracee 64 

John ii. 1-11. 

XII. Jesus at the Passover . *8 

John ii. 13-25. 

XIII. NlCODEMUS 

John iii. 2-11^ 


7 


8 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP. PAGE 

XIV. The Woman of Samaria 76 

John iv. 1-42. 

XV. The Nobleman’s Son 84 

John iv. 33-54. 

XVI. Jesus Driven away from Nazareth 87 

Luke iv. 16-36. 

XVII. Jesus Caees His Discipees Again 90 

Matt. iv. 12-22. Luke v. i-ii. 

XVIII. A Sabbath at Capernaum 98 

Mark i. 21-35. 

XIX. The Sermon on the Mount 103 

Matt, v., vi., vii. 

XX. The Leper Heaeed 109 

Matt. viii. 1-4. Mark i. 40-45. 

XXI. The Centurion's Faith 114 

Matt. viii. 5-13. Luke vii. 1-10 

XXII. The Widow of Nain 1 17 

Euke vii. 11-16. 

XXIII. The Palsied Man Healed 122 

Matt. ix. 2-8. Mark ii. 1-12. Euke v. 17-26. 

XXIV. More Miracles of Healing 126 

Matt. ix. 9-26. Mark v. 22-43. Euke viii. 41-56. 

XXV. The Cripple of Bethesda 133 

John v. 

XXVI. The Pharisee and the Sinner 138 

Luke vii. 36-50. 

XXVII. The Man with the Withered Hand 145 

Matt. xii. 1-14. Mark ii. 23-28; iii. 1-7. 

XXVIII. Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles 148 

Matt. xii. 46-50. Mark iii. 13-35 ; vi. 7-13. 

Luke vi. 12-16. 

XXIX. A Parable, and the Storm at Sea 152 

Mark iv. Luke viii. 4-25. 


CONTENTS. 


9 


CHAP. 

XXX. The Demoniac IIeaeed 

Matt. viii. 28-34. Mark v. 1-20. Euke viii. 26-40. 

XXXI. The Death oe John the Baptist . . . . 

Matt. xiv. 1-13. Mark vi. 14-29. 

XXXII. Feeding the Five Thousand 

Matt. xiv. 14-21. Mark vi. 30-44. 

XXXIII. Jesus Walking on the Sea 

Matt. xiv. 22-33. Mark vi. 45-52. John vi. 14-21. 

XXXIV. Many Discipees Deave Jesus 

John vi. 22-71. 

XXXV. The Woman of Tyre 

Matt. xv. 21-28. Mark vii. 24-30. 


PAGE. 

158 

162 

167 

172 

177 

l8l 


XXXVI. Peopee Heaeed, and Taught, and Fed .... 185 

Matt. xv. 29-39. Mark vii. 31-37 ; viii. 1 9. 

XXXVII. Jesus teees the Tweeve of Coming Sorrows 188 

Matt. xvi. 13-28. Mark viii. 27-33. 

Euke ix. 18-27. 


a XXVIII. The Transfiguration 

Matt. xvii. 1-13. Mark ix. 2-13. Euke ix. 28-36. 

XXXIX. The Demoniac Boy 

Matt. xvii. 14-21. Mark ix. 14-29. 

Euke ix. 37-42. 

XL. Jesus Teaches the Tweeve 

Matt, xviii. Mark ix. 30-40. 

XLI. Jesus Teaches in the Tempee .... 

John vii. ; viii. 

XDII. The Man Born Beind 

John ix. 1-38. 

XDIII. The Seventy 

Euke x. 1-20. 

XDIV. The Prodigal Son 

Euke si’ 1-6 ; xv. 


194 

197 

201 

205 

210 

2l6 


220 


10 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP. PAGE 

XLV. The; Kindness of Jesus ...» 22b 

Luke xiii. xi-17; xvii. 11-19. Matt. xix. 13-15. 

XlyVI. Martha and Mary 230 

Luke x. 3S-42. John x. 22-40. 

XIvVII. Lazarus Raised to Life 234 

John xi. 1-54. 

XLVIII. On the Way to Jerusalem 239 

Mark x. 32-52. Luke xviii. 31-43 ; xix. i-xo. 

XLIX. Judas 24a 

Matt. xxiv. 6-15. Mark xiv. 3-11. 

Luke xxii. 3-6. John xii. 1-11. 

L • A Day of Triumph 247 

Matt. xxi. 1-17. Mark xi. 1-19. Luke xix. 28-48. 

LI. The Last Supper . — 1 252 

Matt, xx vi. 17-23. Mark xiv. 12-21. 

Luke xxii. 7-24. John xiii. 1-17. 

LII- The Last Supper. — II • . 258 

Matt. xxvi. 21-35. Mark xiv. 18-31. 

John xiii 21-38 ; xiv. ; xv. ; xvii. 

LIU- In the Garden • . 262 

Matt. xxvi. 36-56. Mark xiv. 32-50. 

Luke xxii. 39-54. John xviii. 1-12. 

LIV. Peter’s Denial 270 

Matt. xxvi. 57-75. Mark xiv. 53-72. 

Luke xxii. 54-62. John xviii. 12-27. 

LV. Jesus before Pilate 275 

Mark xv. i. John xviii. 28-38 : xix. 1-16. 

LVI. The Death of Judas 232 

Matt, xxvii. 3-5. 

LVII. Jesus on the Cross 284 

Matt, xxvii. 31-44. Mark xv. 20-32. 

Luke xxiii. 24-43. John xix- 16-27. 

LVIII. The Death of Jesus 291 

Matt, xxvii. 45-60. Mark xv. 33-46. 

Luke xxii. 44-53. John xix. 23-42. 


CONTENTS 


11 


CHAP. PAGE 

LIX. Jesus Risen 297 

Matt, xxviii. i-io. Mark xvi. i-ii. 

Euke xxiv. 1-12. John xx. 1-18. 

LX. The Walk to Emmaus 3°5 

Euke xxiv. 13-33. 

LXI. Jesus shows His Hands, and Feet, and Side . 3 IC> 

Euke xxiv. 33-43. John xx. 19-29. 

LXII. By the Lake of Gennesareth ........ 3 J 4 

John xxi. 1-19. 

LXIII. The Ascension 3 *7 

Matt, xxviii. 16-20. Euke xxiv. 49-53. Acts i. 8-12. 



1HK ANNUNCIATION, 



TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER l 

WHY JESUS CAME. 

rpHERE is no story that has ever been written that 
A is so beautiful or so wonderful as the story 
about Jesus. 

He was like nobody else that ever lived ; and His 
life was one of perfect holiness. Other people, even 
the best, are naughty sometimes; He never was. 
Others are selfish ; but Jesus never pleased Himself. 
Others are unkind sometimes; but the heart of Jesus 
was always full of love, and pity, and gentleness. 

But though, as I have said, He never once did 
a wrong thing, or had a sinful thought, yet He 
suffered more sorrow than any one else upon earth, 
and though He was always doing good and was 
always kind, yet wicked people hated Him, and 
treated Him with dreadful cruelty, and at last killed 
Him. 

I am sure your hearts will ache when you hear 
how it all happened. 

This wonderful story is one of which nobody tires. 

13 


14 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Little children, clever people, old men and women, 
all love to hear over and over again the “ sweet story 
of old,” which tells them about Jesus. 

But who was He ? who is He ? 

The Lord from heaven. He is Himself God, and 
He is God’s own beloved Son, who from everlasting 
has been always with the Father, and who, with 
Him, made this beautiful world, and all that is 
in it. 

Do you not wonder that He should have left His 
heavenly Father’s throne to come down to this 
wicked, cruel world ? Perhaps you think He did not 
know what would happen ? 

Ah ! dear children, the strange thing is that He 
did know it all ! and yet He came ! It was for love 
of us — for love of you and me — for love, too, even 
of those wicked people who hated Him, that He put 
aside His glory and came to suffer, bleed, and die. 
And He was “ content to do it.” Does not this show 
how much He loved us ? How much we ought to 
love Him? 

Do you think God was willing to spare His well- 
beloved Son ? 

Yes, He was ; but if the Bible had not told us so, 
we never could have believed it. But the Bible is 
God’s own book ; and so we know it is quite true that 
God was not only willing to let His dear Son come, 
but Tie wished Him to do it. He sent Him. 

Is not this wonderful ? 


WHY JESUS CAME. 


15 


There is a verse in the Bible that tella us, “ God 
is love ; ” and does not this prove it ? 

But now I must try and explain to you why it 
was necessary that Jesus should come to our earth, 
and take our nature upon Him (that means, to be 
made like one of us). And first I will begin by 
asking you a question. 

Where do you hope to go when you die ? 

You will say, “ To heaven.” 

But do you not know that nothing can enter 
heaven but what is perfectly holy and perfectly 
good ? And are you holy ? 

You know you are not. You know you have 
often naughty, angry tempers; that you are often 
disobedient ; that sometimes you are tempted to say 
what is not true, and to be unkind. Then, are you 
fit for heaven ? 

You knoic you are not; neither is any living per- 
son. God looked down from His dwelling-place to 
see if there were any that were really good and 
without sin, but he found not one ! So we must all 
have been punished for our wrong-doing, and at last 
must have gone to hell, that dreadful place prepared 
for the devil and his angels, if God had not found 
out a way to save us. 

He promised that one day He would send His 
Son the Lord Jesus Christ to be a man on earth. 
And He would be unlike any other man that ever 
lived, because he would be always good, and would 


16 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


do God’s will on earth, as perfectly as it is done in 

heaven. 

And He was to do much more than this. He was 
to bear our sins upon Himself, and God was to 
punish Him for our wickedness. At last He w r as to 
die for us, and God promised to accept that as suffi- 
cient to wash away all sin, and to make the whole 
world holy. 

As the little hymn says : — 

“He knew how wicked men had been, 

And knew that God must punish sin. 

So out of pity Jesus said 

He’d bear the punishment instead.” 

Yet there is something left for us to do, remember ! 
We must believe on the Lord Jesus, and we must 
love Him, and try to be like Him, and to do His 
holy will. And when we find that we have done 
naughty things, and have fallen into sin (for Satan 
is always trying to make us wicked), if we are sorry, 
and pray to God to forgive us and to help us, He 
will always do it, if we ask it for J esus Christ’s sake. 

And so, for His name’s sake, He will take us to 
heaven when we die. 

Now can you understand a little why Jesus came ? 

He came to do what only God can do (for remem- 
ber that Jesus is God). 

He came to take away sin. 

He came to give us everlasting life. 


THE VIRGIN MARY 


17 


CHAPTER II. 

TH£ VIRGIN MARY. 

A FTER people had waited a long, long time for 
^ the promised Saviour, God saw that the right 
time had come to send His beloved Son down from 
heaven. 

And how do you think He came ? Like a greM 
king, with servants to wait upon Him, and to obey 
Him ? 

Oh, no ! Though He was a king in heaven, and 
though all the bright angelo obeyed Him there, and 
sang praises to Him, yet when He came into this 
world, He put away all His greatness and glory, and 
chose to come like a little helpless baby. 

This is how it happened. 

There was a poor woman at that time whose name 
was Mary, and she lived in a small town called 
Nazareth. I am quite sure she was a good woman, 
and loved God, and always tried to do what would 
please Him. 

One day she was alone in the house, when all at 
once she saw a bright angel before her. God had 
sent the angel to speak to her. When she saw him 
she was very much frightened, but the angel spoke 
to her so kindly. He said, 

“ Do not be afraid, Mary ; for God is pleased with 
2 











THE VIRGIN MARY. 


19 


you, and He has sent me to tell you a wonderful 
tiling. He will give you a little baby, and you must 
call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people 
from their sins.” 

Then Mary said to the angel, “ How shall this be ? ” 

And the angel said, “ God can do everything. He 
will send His Holy Spirit upon you, and so the holy 
babe that He will send you shall be called the Son 
of God.” 

How Mary must have wondered at that strange 
message ! Did she believe it ? 

Yes : she answered, “ I am God’s servant ; let it be 
to me as you have said.” 

And then, when the angel had gone back to 
heaven, she praised God for His goodness, and for 
doing such great things to her. She said, “ My spirit 
rejoices in God my Saviour! ” 

You see she called her baby her Saviour, because 
she knew quite well that He would save her, as well 
as every one else who trusts Him, from sin and from 
Satan. 

Mary had a husband called Joseph. He was a 
good man. And God sent an angel to him one night, 
to speak to him in a dream, as he lay fast asleep 
upon his bed, and to tell him about the baby Jesus 
that would soon be born. 


TALKS TO CLIILDUKjS ABOUT JESUS, 


2,0 


CHAPTER III. 

THE BIRTH OF JESUS. 

VOW it came to pass in those days that a great 
L * king gave an order that every one was to have 
his name written down in a long roll or book, that 
he might know how many people there were. And 
both Joseph and Mary, like every one else, were 
obliged to obey the king’s order. 

It was the cold winter time when they left their 
home in Nazareth to set out on their journey to 
another town called Bethlehem. It must have taken 
them a long time to go so far, for it was a very great 
way off. 

When they got to Bethlehem, they found that so 
many people had gone there too, to have their names 
written down, that every place was full, and there 
was no room for them in the inn. What were 
they to do ? 

Near by there was a place where camels, cows, 
and asses were kept ; and there Joseph and Mary 
were obliged to go and rest, after their long, cold, 
weary journey. 

While they were there, lodging in the stable, God 
sent to Mary the little baby He had promised her. 

How happy she was now ! She wrapped the 
precious babe so tenderly in long swaddling-clothes, 






22 


TALKS TO CHILD MEN ABOUT JESUS. 


and laid Him down carefully in a manger, on the 
soft hay. She had no pretty cradle to put Him into. 
Though He was God’s own Son, He was born in a 
stable, and His bed was a manger. You know, a 
manger is the place in the stable where food is put 
for the cattle to eat. 

Did any one know that this little baby was the 
Son of God, come down into the world ? 

Joseph and Mary knew, but no one else just at 
first. Very soon, however, God sent to tell some 
other people. 

The very same night that Jesus was born, some 
shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. What 
were they doing there, in the dark and cold ? Why 
were they not in their own homes ? 

They were taking care of their sheep, and watch- 
ing to see that no savage animal should hurt them. 
Here where we live, sheep and cattle may remain 
quite safely out in the fields all night; but in that 
country, far away, there are a great many bears and 
wolves, and they would kill the sheep if men did 
not stay with them to frighten the wild beasts away. 

Well ! the shepherds were watching over their 
flocks that night, when suddenly an angel came to 
them, and a bright light — brighter than the sun — 
shone all around them ; and the poor shepherds were 
sore afraid. 

But the angel spoke so gently to them. “ Do not 
be afraid,” he said ; “for I bring you such good news, 



( 23 ) 


THE ANGEL APPEARING TO THE SHEPHERDS 


24 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


which will make you and all people very glad. A 
little baby is born this day, who is your Saviour, 
Christ the Lord. Go to Bethlehem, and you will 
find him wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in 
a manger.” 

As the angel said this, all at once a very great 
number of angels came from heaven, and they all 
praised God and said, “ Glory be to God, and peace 
be to men.” 

When the angels had sung their song, they all 
went away again back to heaven. And as soon as 
they had gone, the shepherds said to each other, 
“ Let us go quickly to Bethlehem, and see this won- 
derful thing that has come to pass, that God has told 
us of.” 

They made such haste to go ! As they hurried 
along, they did not think of their flocks any more ; 
they only thought of the infant Saviour, and that 
the Son of God had come into the world. 

Do you not think they must have longed to see 
Him? Oh, yes; and at last they found Him, lying 
in the manger, just as the angel had said; and Mary 
and Joseph were quite near, taking care of Him. 

The shepherds then told everybody of the won- 
derful sight they had seen, and how God’s angel had 
come to tell them where to find the holy child Jesus, 
and that He was the Son of God. 

As the people listened to the shepherds’ story, 
they were very much surprised; yet they did not 


THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. 


25 


believe that the little baby lying in the manger was 
indeed the Saviour of the world. 

But the shepherds believed it; and when they 
went back to the fields again, to take care of their 



betheehem. 


sheep, they thanked and praised God for all the 
wonderful things they had heard and seen. 


CHAPTER IV. 

THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. 

TRIE baby Jesus was just six weeks old when His 
mother and Joseph carried Him to Jerusalem, 
to present Him to God in the Temple. 


26 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


The Temple was God’s house; and Mary wanted 
to take her baby there, and to thank God, in Ilis 
house, for all His goodness to her. 

So the beloved Son was brought into His Father’s 
house, to receive His Father’s blessing. The priest 
who took the child in his arms to present Him 
before God, did not know who this baby was ! He 
thought He was just like any other little baby. 

Just then an old man, called Simeon, came into 
the Temple. He was a very good man, and loved 
to pray to God. He knew that God was going to 
send His Son into the world, and he wanted so 
much to see the Lord with his own eyes. God had 
told him that he should not die till he had seen 
Jesus Christ, and he believed God. 

It was the Holy Spirit that made Simeon go into 
the Temple at that moment ; and what did he see 
there ? 

He only saw a poor man and woman with a little 
baby ! Yet he felt God’s message in his heart say- 
ing to him, “ This is the promised Saviour ; ” and at 
once, with a heart full of love and thankfulness, he 
took the holy babe in his arms, and sang a song of 
joy and praise to God for sending Jesus. 

How Joseph and Mary wondered when they 
found that this stranger knew who their baby was ! 

Then good old Simeon blessed them both. But 
he told Mary that though Jesus was the Saviour, 
yet people would speak against Him, and would not 



THE HOLY FAMILY 


(27) 


28 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS . 


believe in Him. He also told her that one day she 
would have such a great sorrow that it would be 
like a sword piercing her heart. 

When did she feel like that? 

Ah ! I am sure you know ! It was when she 
saw her dear Son hanging on the cross. 

But how did Simeon know what was going to be 
done to Jesus ? 

God told him by His Holy Spirit. Those people 
to whom God speaks, and tells them what He is 
going to do, are called prophets. 

Just as Simeon had done speaking, a very old 
woman came into the Temple. fou have never 
seen any one so old as she was : she was more than 
a hundred years of age. Her name was Anna, and 
she was a prophetess. She loved God so much, that 
day and night she used to pray to Him, and serve 
Him. 

As soon as she had seen the baby in His mother’s 
arms, she believed that He was the Lord, and she 
thanked God, and spoke about Him to all those who 
were longing for the Saviour to come into the world. 

Alter all these things, Joseph and Mary took the 
holy babe back to Bethlehem. 

And the child grew. Not only His little limbs 
grew bigger and stronger, but He grew in wisdom 
and perfect holiness. The Bible says He was “ filled 
with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon 

L t • »* 

tun. 


THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. 


29 


Think of Him, dear children, and try to be like 
Him. Remember, He was quite holy, without one 



spot or stain of sin. As a tiny baby, He was never 
even cross. 

Will you try to be like Jesus? a child of God? 


30 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER V. 

The wise men. 

F N a country far, far away from Bethlehem, there 
lived some wise, rich men. They were very 
clever and very learned. They liked to watch the 
stars, and they knew a great deal about them. 

One night they saw a new star ! It was very 
bright and very beautiful ; and they knew that God 
had put this star in the sky, to tell them that He 
had sent His Son into the world to be a little baby. 

The wise men thought they would like so much 
to see the Lord Jesus, and so they said they would 
go and try and find Him. They said. 

“Let us go and worship Him, for He is God’s 
Son ; and let us take Him some presents, for He is a 
king.” 

What does it mean to worship ? When we iprtiy 
to God, and give Him thanks, and praise Him, then 
we worship Him ; and the wise men knew that 
Jesus was God, and so they wanted to worship Him, 
though He was only a little baby. 

So the wise men took some gold and other things, 
and then they mounted their camels and set off on 
their long, long journey. 

At last they came to Jerusalem. When the 
people saw these strangers from a strange country, 


THE WISE MEN, 


31 


they wondered what 
they had come for. 
But they soon knew, 
for the wise men began 
at once to ask, 

“ Where is the baby 
King that is just born? 

For we have seen His 
star, and are come to 
worship Him.” 

The people said, 
“We do not know of 25 
any baby King.” & 

How surprised the g 
wise men were to hear w 
tli is! What were they S 
to do now ? Good 
old Simeon and Anna 
could have told them 
about Jesus, but they 
did not know the 
wise men were seeking 
Him. Would these 
men give up trying 
to find Him, and go 
back to their own 
country again ? No, 
they left Jerusalem at 0 ] 
lo ! once again they saw 



k , to go further on. And 
3 star ! When they saw 



1 3 2 ) 


THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI 





hi) 


3 


FLIGHT INTO EGYPT 




34 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


it, they were very glad, and were filled with thank- 
fulness and joy. 

The star moved on. The wise men were quite sure 
that God was guiding them to the right place ; so 
they followed it, till at last it led them to Bethle- 
hem, and stood still over the very house where the 
young child was. Joseph and Mary were not now 
in the stable ; they were in a very humble house, 
for you know they were poor people. 

The wise men went into the house, and when they 
saw the babe, with Mary His mother, they fell down 
on their knees and worshipped Him. Then they 
opened their treasures, and took out their presents, 
and gave Him gold and sweet-smelling stuff to 
burn. 

After this, the wise men had intended to go back 
to Jerusalem, to tell the people there that they had 
found the baby King. But God spoke to them in a 
dream, and told them that they were not to let the 
people know about it. So they returned to their 
ovvn country another way. 


CHAPTER VI. 

WHAT KING HEROD DID. 

T^HERE lived at Jerusalem at that time a very 
-*■ wicked king, whose name was Herod. 

He was exceedingly cruel, and had caused nurn- 


WHAT KING HEROD DID. 


35 


bers and numbers of innocent people to be put to 
death, either because lie was afraid of them, or dis- 
liked them, or because they would not call him their 
king. 

He even caused three of his own children to be 
killed. And some people he ordered to be burned 
alive ; and some he ordered to be cut in two — but I 
cannot tell you half the cruel things he did, for it is 
too dreadful to think about. 

This wicked king knew about the wise men hav- 
ing come to Jerusalem to look for a new-born King, 
and he was afraid. Afraid and jealous of a little 
infant ! He could not bear that there should be 
nn other king. 

He heard, too, that some people thought this baby 
King was Christ, the Son of God ; and in his wicked 
heart he determined to kill Him. But he did not 
know where to find Jesus. So he sent for the chief 
priests and all the learned men, and when they came 
he asked them, 

“ Where do the Scriptures say that Christ shall be 
born ? ” 

They told him, “ In Bethlehem.” 

Then what do you think Herod did? He sent 
men at once to Bethlehem to kill this holy Child ! 
and because there were many babies there, and he 
did not know which was the Lord Jesus, he ordered 
that they should kill every baby in every house. 

Was not this terribly sad and terribly cruel ? 


36 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


But God can see into people’s hearts as easily as 
we can look into people’s faces, and He knew what 
Herod was going to do. But He would not let His 
dear Son be killed yet, for it was not the right time 
for Him to die. 

So God sent an angel that night to speak to J oseph 
in a dream. The angel said, 

“ Get up quickly, J oseph, and take the young 
child and His mother, and go into another country, a 
great way off. You must stay there till I tell you 
that you may come away again, for Herod will 
try and find the young child, that he may kill 
Him.” 

Joseph got up that very moment, and told Mary 
his wife all that the angel had said to him. Then 
they took the precious Babe, and with all the haste 
they could, they set out in the dark night to go down 
to Egypt. No one saw them go, for they went away 
so quickly and so secretly. 

Next day was a sad, sad time in Bethlehem ! 

Some soldiers came into the town, sent by Herod 
to do his wicked, cruel bidding. They went into 
every house, and wherever they saw a baby, they 
snatched it from its mother’s arms and killed it. 

Down every street they passed. The poor mothers 
saw them coming, and they clasped their little dar- 
lings tightly to their bosoms. 

“ Oh ! do not hurt my child ! ” they cried, “ do let 
it live ! ” But it was all in vain ; the soldiers had 


THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. 


37 


no pity ; and in another moment it was torn away 
from its unhappy mother and killed. 

What sad hearts there were in Bethlehem that 
night ! what weeping and crying in every street ! 
Not only in the town itself, but also in all the coun- 
try round. Every little baby was lying dead. 

Was Jesus amongst the murdered children? No: 
Joseph and Mary had escaped just in time to save 
the infant Saviour from Herod’s cruel hands. 

Very soon after this, King Herod died. And then 
once more God sent His angel to speak to Joseph in 
a dream. 

“ Arise,” the angel said to him, “ take the young 
child and His mother, and go back to your own 
country again ; for Herod is dead.” 

So Joseph obeyed God, and did as the angel bade 
him, and they went to Nazareth ; which, you remem- 
ber, was the place where Joseph and Mary had al- 
ways lived before Jesus was born. 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. 

TRIE Bible tells us scarcely anything of the life ot 
-*• Jesus while He was a boy ; but enough has been 
told us to make us able to picture Him to ourselves 
in His humble home in Nazareth. 





THE BOYHOOD OF CHRIST, 


THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. 


39 


He was brought up as the son of a poor man ; for 
Joseph was a carpenter, and had to work for his 
daily bread ; and we may be quite sure that, as soon 



A STREET IN NAZARETH. 


as He was able, Jesus would try and help him in the 
workshop and learn his trade. Indeed, the Bible 
tells us plainly that Jesus became a carpenter Him- 
self. (Mark vi. 3.) 


40 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then, again, we may certainly think of Him as 
going to the school every day* with other boys, and 
learning to read ; doing everything that He had to 
do with all His heart, and in the best way : perfectly 
obedient to His teachers as well as to His parents. 

Is it not wonderful to think that the Son of God 
condescended to live like any other little Jewish 
village boy? going to the same school, learning the 
same lessons, and doing the same tasks ? 

But do not forget that there was always one great 
difference between Him and all other children. What 
was it ? 

Jesus was without sin. He never did a wrong 
thing. Satan tried to tempt Him, as he tempts all 
children and grown-up people too, but Jesus would 
not listen to Satan. He prayed to His' Father in 
heaven, and always did the thing that would please 
Him. 

I told you before that He was “ filled with wis 
dom,” and that as He grew older and bigger He 
“ increased in wisdom.” Everything that He did 
was right and kind, and no one could ever find any- 
thing to blame Him for. 

Will you try and be like Him ? I dare say you 
think it is impossible ; and of course no one can be 
like Him ; but He will help us to be better than we 

* We are told that even so long as eighty years before the 
birth of Christ, schools were established all over Palestine, and 
education was compulsory. 


THE BO WOOD OF JESUS. 


41 


are, and to be more like Him every day, if we will 
ask Him. 

Because Jesus was once a child Himself, He 
knows exactly what children feel; and He quite 
understands all their difficulties, and all their 
temptations, and all their sorrows. He loves little 



JERUSALEM. 

children, and loves to help them when they ask 
Him. 

Will you then pray for His help ? Not only 
when Satan tempts you to do things you know to be 
wrong, but also when you do not feel inclined to do 
the things you know you ought to do. 

Have you ever heard about the Feast of the Pass- 


42 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


over ? It was a very solemn feast, which God had 
commanded the Jews to keep always, to remind them 
of the time, years and years before, when He had 
saved them in a wonderful way from being slaves, 
and had taken them out of a country where they 
were most cruelly treated, and where they were very 
miserable and unhappy. 

Every year Joseph and Mary went up to Jerusa- 
lem to keep this feast, and to attend the solemn 
services in the Temple. 

Little children, however, could not join ; and it 
was not till Jesus was twelve years old that, for the 
first time, He was taken by His parents to keep the 
Passover with them. 

This was a great event in His childhood. There 
was the long journey to be taken,* there were the 
hundreds and hundreds of people, flocking from all 
parts of the East to go up to Jerusalem at the same 
time ; and there were numbers of boys too, besides 
the Lord Jesus, going for the first time to the holy 
city. How eager they must all have been to see 
that city and Temple, of which they had read so 
much in the Scriptures ! 

Once before, Jesus had been in the Temple. Do 
you remember when it was? When His parents 
had taken Him, as a little infant of six weeks old, 
to present Him to God. 

* From Nazareth to Jerusalem is a distance of about eighty 
miles. 


THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. 


43 


Good old Simeon, and Anna the prophetess, who 
had recognized Him as the promised Saviour, must 
have been dead when Jesus went this second time to 
the Temple; for we hear of no one then saying that 
He was the Son of God. 

And now, amongst all the worshippers in that 
beautiful Temple, there was only one who had no 
wandering thoughts, only one who praised God with 
a perfect heart. You do not need that I should tell 
you who that was ; you know it was the boy Christ. 

At last the week of solemn services was over, and 
all the people who had gone up to attend this great 
feast of the Passover began to travel homewards 
again. 

Joseph and Mary went too ; and all that day they 
were journeying on, to return to their home at 
Nazareth. 

But Jesus had stayed behind in Jerusalem, and 
His parents did not know it. When they did not 
see Him, they thought He was among the company 
(for a great many friends and relations were travel- 
ling with them), and so they were not at all unhap- 
py. But when evening was coming on, and they 
stopped to rest for the night, then they looked for 
Him amongst their friends: and when they could 
not find Him they were greatly distressed. 

What should they do ? They could not rest till 
they had found Him ; and so, after they had sought 
for Him anxiously, and had asked everybody they 



(44) THE young saviour in the temple. 



TIIE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. 


45 


met if they had seen their dear Son, they went back 
very sadly to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 

Three days passed before they found Him — three 
dreadful days of anxiety and unhappiness. And 
where do you think He was found at last ? 

In the Temple. There was the boy Jesus, sitting 
in the midst of many learned men, listening eagerly 
to them, and asking them questions. 

For there was a large room in the Temple, where 
these learned men, called chief priests and rabbis, 
used to sit to teach young men and boys. They 
taught them the law of Moses, and examined them 
in the Scriptures. And Jesus had gone there to be 
taught. 

The learned men did not know who He was, but 
they thought they had never seen such a wonderful 
scholar before. They were astonished to find how 
much He knew, how quickly He understood, and 
how wonderfully He answered their questions. 
Whatever Jesus did He did with all His might; and 
whatever He had to learn, He set His whole heart 
to it. This was another thing that made Him so 
different from all other children. 

You may imagine how thankful and happy His 
parents were to see Him once more, and to find He 
was safe ! But they had suffered so much in their 
anxiety about Him during those last three days, 
that His mother could not help complaining just a 
little, as she said, — 


46 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


“ My child, why have you treated us like this ? 
Your father and I have been looking for you with 
aching hearts.” 

Jesus said, “ Why were you looking for me ? Did 
you not know that I must be about my Father’s 
business ? ” 

When Mary spoke of His father, she meant Jo- 
seph, but Jesus spoke of His true Father, God. 



A CARPENTER’S SHOP AT NAZARETH. 


I think His parents must have almost forgotten 
that this boy, who w r as always so obedient, and 
loving, and gentle, was God’s own Son; for they did 
not at all understand when He told them that He 
must be doing His Father’s work. 

Do you think the Lord Jesus went home again 
with His parents after this ? 

Yes, He did. He returned with them to Naza- 


THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. 


47 


reth, and was obedient to them just as before. And 
this was doing His Father’s work, and obeying His 
Father’s will ! 

And God was more and more pleased with Him ; 
for as He increased in age and in wisdom, He also 
increased in favour with God and man. 

And so Jesus was a pattern for us in loving 
obedience to parents, as well as in everything else. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. 

"T^OR a great many more years (eighteen), till He 
grew up to be a man, Jesus remained in Naza- 
reth. 

He was thirty years old now ; but He was living 
quietly on in the old home. He had not yet begun 
to preach, or to do any miracle ; He was doing His 
Father’s will in the humble home in which He had 
been brought up. 

People had become very wicked in those days. 
Every kind of iniquity, and wrong, and cruelty, was 
done in the land ; and those people who still loved 
God, and grieved for all the sin that was going on 
around them, were looking and longing for a Saviour 
to come, who should take away all the evil, and 
make everything good. 



CHRIST RETURNING FROM JERUSALEM WITH JOSEPH AND MARY. 





THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. 


49 


The Saviour had indeed come; but they did not 
know it. And if they had been told that the carpen- 
ter of Nazareth was the Messiah, promised in the Scrip- 
tures, the Son of God, they would not have believed it. 

Now, God wanted to prepare the people’s hearts 
to believe in His dear Son, and to receive Him as 
their Saviour. So He sent a messenger to them. 

This messenger was John the Baptist. He was a 
great prophet, and a great preacher ; and God’s 
Holy Spirit was in him from the day he was born. 
He was not dressed like other people ; he wore a 
mantle of camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle or 
belt round his waist. 

He did not care what food he ate ; he thought so 
much of the message God had given him, that he 
did not care for his body; so he ate the common 
food that only the beggars of that country eat — this 
was locusts (a kind of large grasshoppers) and wild 
honey ; and he drank the water of the river. 

Crowds of people went to hear this wonderful 
preacher, who was so unlike other men. And John 
spoke to them about their many sins, and told them 
all to repent. 

What does repentance mean? Tt means a change 
of conduct, and a change of heart. When men 
begin to feel that all they do is wrong, and that 
every thought of their hearts is sinful, then they are 
thankful to hear of a Saviour, who can save them 
from sin, and can make them better. 


4 




THE RIVER TORDAN, WHERE JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, 








tiie baptism of jesus. 


51 


As John the Baptist spoke to the people of their 
naughty ways, and of God’s anger, many of them 
began to see how wrong they had been ; and they 
confessed their sins, and were really sorry for all 
their wickedness. 

Then John baptized them. He took them down 
to the river and baptized them, as a sign that 
they were willing to give up their sins, and that 
God was willing to pardon them, and to wash away 
their sins. 

After that, John spoke to them about the Mes- 
siah. He told them that the Lord who was coming 
was very great and very holy — so holy that even 
John himself was not worthy to stoop down and 
untie His shoe — and that He would baptize people 
with the Holy Spirit, which would make their 
hearts clean, in the same way that pure water 
makes the body clean. 

But though John spoke to the people about the 
Saviour, and told them that He was near, he did not 
himself know that Jesus was the Saviour. So God 
said to him, — 

“When you see the Holy Spirit coming down 
from heaven, and resting upon any one, you will 
know that that one is the Son of God.” 

Well, while John was teaching, preaching, and 
baptizing in the river Jordan, Jesus Himself came 
to be baptized. 


52 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Had He any sins to confess ? Did He need repent- 
ance ? 

Oh, no ! But He came to take the sinners’ place ; 
and all that it was right for them to do, He would 
do ; that in everything He might be perfectly obe- 
dient to His Father’s will. 



PEAIN OF THE JORDAN. 


As I told you just now, John did not know that 
Jesus was Christ, but he knew that He was very holy, 
and pure, and good ; and he was distressed that Jesus, 
who he felt was so much better than himself, should 
come like a sinner to be baptized. So he said, — 

“ I have need to be baptized by you ; why then 
do you come to me ? ” 


THE TEMPTATION, \ 


53 


J esus answered : “ Suffer it to be so now ; for it is 
right for us to do all that is commanded.” 

When He said this, He went down to the river, 
and John baptized Him. 

As soon as this was done, Jesus went up out of 
the water again, praying; and at that moment a 
wonderful thing happened. The heavens were 
opened, and the Spirit of God came down like a 
dove from heaven, and rested upon Jesus. And a 
voice — God’s voice — was heard, which said, — 

“ Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well 
pleased.” 

John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit, and he 
heard the voice; and so then he knew that Jesus 
was indeed the Son of God. 


CHAPTER IX. 

THE TEMPTATION. 

JAIRECTLY after our Lord had been baptized, the 
Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness. 

There were no houses there, nor pretty fields, nor 
gardens ; and there were no people there. But wild 
beasts were there, — lions and bears and wolves, and 
at night they used to walk about, and howl, and 
roar; but they did not touch Jesus. God kept 
them from hurting Him. 

For forty days and forty nights, Jesus was in that 


54 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS 


dreadful wilderness ; and all that long time He had 
nothing to eat. 



He was not quite alone there. Some one else was 
in the wilderness, — watching Him, fearing Him, and 
hating Him. Who was it ? 


THE TEMPTATION. 


55 


It was Satan. Satan knew quite well that Jesus 
was the Son of God; and he hated Him because He 
was good, and pure, and holy. But most of all he 
hated Him because he knew that Jesus had come 
into the world to be the Saviour of sinners; and 
that He would save men from hell. 

You know, Satan wants to make everybody 
naughty, that they may go to hell. He likes to see 
people — and children too — doing wicked things ; 
and he is pleased when they are in trouble and 
unhappy. He cannot bear that any one should go 
to heaven. 

So Satan thought that he would try and tempt 
Jesus to do wrong. For if Jesus had sinned only 
once, He could not have been our Saviour. 

When the forty days were over, Jesus was very 
hungry indeed. Satan knew that He was hungry ; 
so now he came and spoke to Jesus. He said, — 

“ If you are God’s Son, make these stones into 
bread.” 

He wanted to tempt Jesus to doubt His Father’s 
love, and not to wait His Father’s time to feed 
Him. 

Could Jesus turn the stones into bread ? 

Yes. But He trusted His Father; and though 
He was so hungry, He waited patiently; for He 
knew God would feed Him in His own good time. 

The Lord Jesus only replied to Satan out of the 
Scriptures; and this is what He said, — 


56 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


“ It is written, Man shali not live by bread alone, 
but by the word of God.” 



WILDERNESS OF JUDEA. 


This means, that bread cannot keep us alive if 
God wills us to die ; and that God can keep us alive 
without bread, if He wills us to live. 



THE TEMPTATION. 


57 


How different Jesus was to Adam and Eve! 
They were in a beautiful garden, where they had 
everything they wanted ; and Satan made them sin 
by tempting them to eat the one thing God had 
forbidden. They were disobedient. Jesus was in a 
lonely wilderness, wanting food, and Satan tempted 
Him to eat, to satisfy His hunger; but He would not 
distrust or disobey His Father. He was always obe- 
dient. 

Then the devil tried another way to make Him 
sin. He took Jesus into the holy city, Jerusalem, 
and set Him upon a very high part of the Temple, — 
so high that it would make you dreadfully giddy to 
look down, — and he said to Him, — 

“ If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down 
from here. Do not be afraid. You trust your 
Father, and God will take care of you, and send His 
angels to keep you from being hurt.” 

Ah ! God’s promise is to take care of those who 
walk in His ways and obey Him. But if Jesus had 
done as Satan told Him, He would have been doing 
the devil's will, and not God’s will. So the Lord 
answered that wicked tempter again out of the 
Scriptures : 

“ It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord 
thy God 

Once more the devil tried to make Him sin. 

He took Jesus to the top of a very high mountain, 
and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, 


58 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS . 


and all the beautiful things that are in them, — all 
the thousands and thousands of people, all the gold, 
and all the treasures. Then he said to Jesus, — 

“ I will give you all these things, and they shall 



THE DEAD SEA. 


be yours, if only you will fall down before me, and 
worship me.” 

Satan meant to say that if Jesus would only wor- 
ship him, he would never tempt people to be naughty 
any more ; and so, all the sin and misery that so 
grieved the holy heart of Jesus, would come to an 
end at once. 


THE TEMPTA TION. 


59 


But would Satan have kept his promise ? No ; 
for he is a liar, and cannot speak the truth. 

And does the world belong to Satan, that he may 
give it away? No; God made the world, and all 
that is in it ; so it belongs to God alone. 

Jesus was very angry with the devil for daring to 
say such things. 

“ Go away, Satan ! ” He said to him ; “ for it is 
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and 
Him only shalt thou serve.” 

The temptation was over. Satan could not make 
our Blessed Saviour sin; so he went away from 
Him. 

Then God sent some angels to Jesus, and they 
fed Him. 

Do you notice, dear children, how our Lord an- 
swered the devil, each time, only out of the Scrip- 
tures? Should it not make us love God’s Holy 
Word, and study it, and always try to walk in the 
light of it ? The Bible is called “ the sword of the 
Spirit ;” and this is the weapon we should use when 
we are tempted to do evil. 

Let us always ask ourselves : “ What has God 
told us in His Holy Word?” And then, if we obey 
the directions God has given us, we shall be kept 
from doing Satan’s work and obeying Satan’s will. 

Remember, when you are tempted, that prayer to 
God will always keep you from yielding to tempta- 
tion. Say, “ Lord, help me ! ” And He will do it. 


60 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER X. 

THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS. 

TT was the Holy Spirit that had taken Jesus into 
the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; and it 
was the Holy Spirit, also, that, after the temptation, 
took Him into Galilee. And there, for the first 
time, He began to preach. 

From this time to the day of His death He never 
ceased going about doing good ; and as He went 
from place to place, He talked to the people about 
God. 

It was about this time, also, that Jesus chose 
some friends to be always with Him, and these 
friends were called His disciples. Jesus loved them 
very much, and they loved Him, and liked nothing 
so well as to be always with Him, listening to His 
blessed words. They used to call Him “ Master” 
and “ Lord.” 

Jesus wanted to make His disciples teachers and 
preachers, like Himself And this is why He chose 
to have them always with Him, that He might tell 
them about His Father. 

When He was alone with them, He used to ex- 
plain everything to them about God and heaven. 
Little by little, as they were able to take it in , He 
taught them more and more about heavenly things. 


THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS. 


61 


And now I will tell you how some of these disci- 
ples first began to know and to follow Jesus. 

One day, as John the Baptist saw the Lord walk- 
ing along, he said to two men who were with him : 

“ Look ! There is the Lamb of God.” 

When the men heard John say that, at once they 



SHORKS OF THE EAKE GENNESARETH. 


followed Jesus, walking quietly behind Him. Jesus 
knew that they were following, and He turned 
round and asked : 

“ Are you looking for any one ? ” 

They answered : u Master, where do you live ? 
Jesus replied so kindly : “ Come and see. 

So Jesus took them to the house where He was 


62 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


staying, and the two men remained with Him that 
day. After that, they were almost always with 
Him ; for they knew that He was the Son of God. 

One of these men, whose name was Andrew, had 
a brother called Peter, and he wanted him to follow 
Christ. So he went to find him and to tell him the 
wonderful news. 

“ We have found the Messiah,” he said. And 
then he took Peter to Jesus. 

Did Peter believe in Him, too ? Yes ! from that 
moment he became a loving disciple of the Lord. 

All these disciples — Peter, and John, and Andrew, 
and that other disciple — were fishermen. They were 
poor men, and had to work hard for their daily 
bread. They were obliged to go out in their ships, 
sometimes all day, and often all night, to catch fish. 
They were very fond of their ships ; but, at a word 
from Jesus, they left them to follow Him. 

Did they think that Jesus could make them rich ? 

Oh, no ! it was not for this they wanted to be 
with Him. They knew that J esus wms very poor, 
even poorer than themselves. He had no home of 
His own ; but the disciples had homes where they 
might always live. 

Yet they preferred to follow their Master; though 
by doing so they were often very tired, for Jesus 
walked much that He might preach to as many peo- 
ple as possible. And they were often very hungry. 
For sometimes it happened that such crowds fol- 


THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS. 


63 


lowed Jesus, that they had not time to eat : and 
sometimes they were far from any town or village, 
and had a long way to go to buy bread. But some- 
times people invited them into their own houses, and 
gave them food. 

The day after Peter had joined tne other disci- 
ples, Jesus was walking further on, to go to another 
place, when He met a man whose name was Philip. 
u Come with me,” the Lord said. 

Without a question and without a doubt, Philip 
followed Him; for he, too, knew that Jesus was the 
Son of God. 

Now, if you had found out something that had 
made you very happy, would you not like to share 
the good news with those you love ? 

This is exactly what Philip did. He had a friend 
called Nathanael, and he wanted to bring him to 
Jesus. So he went to him, and said, — 

“ We have found Jesus of Nazareth, who the 
Scriptures tell us is the Son of God.” 

But Nathanael said, “ Nazareth is a very bad, 
wicked place ; can anything good come from there ? ’’ 
“ Come and see,” was Philip’s answer. 

So they went both together. And as Jesus saw, 
Nathanael coming, He said, — 

“ Here is one who is very truthful and honest.” 
Nathanael was surprised to hear Jesus say this, 
and he asked in wonder, — 

“ How is it that you know me ? ” 


64 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Jesus answered, “ Before Philip called you, when 
you were under the fig-tree, I saw you.” 

Nathanael did not doubt any longer. He ex- 
claimed, 4 ‘Master, you are the Son of God ! you are 
the King of Israel ! ” 

Jesus said to him, “ Do you believe just because I 
said I saw you under the fig-tree ? You shall see 
much greater wonders than these. One day you 
shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascend- 
ing and descending upon the Son of Man.” 

And so Nathanael also became a disciple of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE FIRST MIRACLE. 

HO you remember why it was that Jesus had left 
His home in Nazareth? 

It was to go a long way off, to be baptized by John 
in the river Jordan. This had been done some weeks 
ago, and He had never been home since. 

But now He was going to return to Nazareth once 
more. And do you not think Mary must have been 
longing to see her Son again ? 

Two months have passed away, and once again 
the Lord is in the little town where He had 
lived for so many years. But He does not return 


THE FIRST MIRACLE. 


65 


alone. Some men are with Him ; can you tell me 
who they are? 

They are the five disciples of whom I told you in 
the last chapter. I think Mary’s heart must have 
been full of joy when she found that at last there 
were people who were beginning to believe in Jesus, 
and to call Him the Son of God. 

Now I am going to tell you of the first miracle 
that He ever did. 

Do you know what is meant by a miracle? 

It is any wonderful thing that is done that no man 
can do, but only God . Jesus was God, and so He 
could do miracles. 

In a house a few miles away from Nazareth there 
was a wedding, and the mother of Jesus was there. 
In that country a grand feast was always given at 
the time of a marriage, and this feast often lasted 
several days. 

Well, Jesus was invited, and His disciples, to the 
marriage feast, and they went. 

The people who gave the feast were poor, and they 
could not afford much wine; so it happened that 
after a little while it was all gone. 

What were they to do to get more ? 

The mother of Jesus knew that there was One 
sitting at the table who could help them, and so she 
just simply said to her blessed Son, — 

“ They have no wine.” 

But Jesus answered her, “ What have I to do with 


6G 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


you in this matter? The proper time is not yet 
come for me to work.” 

Jesus always waited His Father’s time, and not 
one moment before the right time would He do any- 
thing. He was as patient in waiting as He was 
patient in love and in suffering. 

Mary felt quite sure that He was going to help 
them, so she turned to the servants, and said to 
them, — 

“ Whatsoever He tells you to do, do it at once.” 

There were some large stone jars in the room, used 
for holding water. Jesus said unto the servants, 
“ Fill those water-pots with water.” And they filled 
them quite full, up to the very top. 

Then Jesus said, “ Now pour out some in a cup, 
and take it to the ruler of the feast.” 

The servants did as they were told ; and when the 
ruler of the feast had tasted it, what do you think 
he found ? That it was no longer water, but wine — 
the very best wine he had ever tasted. 

But how could that be ? 

Why, Jesus had changed into wine all the water 
that was in those large stone jars. So now there was 
enough, and more than enough, for all the guests. 

The ruler of the feast could not understand where 
this wine, that was so much better than what they 
had been drinking, had come from. So he called 
the master of the house, and said to him, — 

“ Why did you not give us this good wine before ? ” 


THE FIRST MIRACLE. 


67 


But the master of the house did not know how it 
had come; he only knew that all he had before had 
been quite finished. 



FILE THE WATER POTS. 

But the servants knew all about it, and now they 
told the whole story : how Jesus had made them fill 
the great stone jars with water, and how He had 
turned all the water into wine. 



68 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


How astonished the people were ! And do you 
not think that the master of the house was very 
thankful, and Mary very glad ? 

And what do you think the disciples thought 
about it ? They, too, were very much astonished at 
the wonderful thing their Lord had done; and it 
made them believe all the more firmly that He was 
the Son of God. 

And this is why Jesus did miracles; to show His 
power and glory, and to show people that He was the 
Christ. 

Yet in spite of the wonderful things He did, many 
people would not believe in Him. 


CHAPTER XII. 

JESUS AT THE PASSOVER. 

"HERY soon after the first miracle, Jesus went to 
* Jerusalem to keep the Passover. 

You remember I told you before what a very great 
number of people used to flock to the holy city to 
keep this yearly feast. They came from all parts ; 
from places a long way off, and even from other 
countries. 

The city was crowded. Every street, every house 
was full ; and hundreds of people had to make for 
themselves little tents of mats and branches of trees, 


JESUS AT THE PASSOVER. 


69 


to shelter them during the night because there was 
no room for them in any house. 

Then, besides all the many people, there were 
hundreds and hundreds of cattle, sheep and oxen, 
driven into the city for sacrifice, and doves and 
pigeons too, were brought in great numbers ; for these 
birds were what the poor offered to God in sacrifice, 
— those who could not afford to offer a sheep or a 
lamb. 

You may imagine how bright, and busy, and noisy 
it was in the streets of Jerusalem at that time; for 
it was a time of rejoicing, and of thanking God for 
past mercies. 

So Jesus went into the Temple to join in the sol- 
emn services there. The Temple was a most beau- 
tiful building, far grander than anything you or I 
have ever seen. But what a sight met His eye ! 

The grand entrance-court of God’s house was full 
of cattle , and crowded with men who were buying 
and selling them ! Other men, with cages full of 
pigeons and doves, offering them for sale! There 
were other men sitting before tables, on which were 
piled up heaps of money; these people were called 
money-changers. And all the noise of the men’s 
voices, of the sheep bleating, and of the oxen lowing, 
could be distinctly heard in the inner part of the 
Temple, where the services were going on. 

Was this a right use to make of any part of the 
house of God? 



DRIVING OUT THR MONRY-UHNDDRS 


JESUS AT THE PASSOVER. 


71 


No, certainly not; it was a great sin so to use it. 

Four hundred years before, it had been prophesied 
— or foretold — in the Scriptures, that one day the 
Lord would suddenly come into His Temple, to 
cleanse and to purify it. That time had now come. 

Jesus was very angry at all He saw. He could 
not bear that His Father’s house should be so dis- 
honored ; and in His holy anger He made a scourge, 
or whip, of small cords, to chase out all those who 
were so profaning it. 

First He drove out all the sheep and the oxen, 
and those who were selling them. Next he went to 
where the money-changers were sitting, and He 
threw down all their tables, and upset the money 
that was piled up on each, leaving the men to grope 
about on the floor for all the coin which had been 
scattered, and was rolling about. Then He said to 
those who sold the doves, — 

“ Take these things away ; do not make my 
Father’s house a place for buying and selling.” 

No one dared resist Him. 

Though they hated Him for what He had done, 
yet they felt in their hearts that He was right, and 
they were afraid of Him. 

When the proud priests and Pharisees heard what 
Jesus had done, they did not dare complain; for 
they, too, knew quite well that they had done wick- 
edly to allow such deeds to take place in the holy 
Temple. 


72 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


But they came to Jesus, and asked Him to give 
them some sign that He had a right to act as He had 
done. 

Jesus gave them no sign : only a prophecy. 

He foretold that they would one day kill Him, 
and that He would rise again the third day. 

But they did not understand what He said. 

Jesus must often have seen the same disgraceful 
sights in the Temple when He had gone up at other 
times to keep the Passover : why did He not cleanse 
it before ? 

He waited the proper time — His Father’s time ! 
He did not begin to teach before ; but now that He 
had shown Himself to be the Christ, the Son of God, 
He must show to everybody in Jerusalem that His 
Father must be honored, and that the Scriptures 
must be fulfilled. 

Jesus did some miracles at that Passover feast, 
but the Bible does not tell us what they were. 

Many people, however, believed He was the 
Christ, when they saw these miracles. But Jesus, 
who could see into their hearts, knew that they did 
not love Him, though they believed Him to be the 
Son of God. 

So lie felt that He could not trust them. 


me O DEM US. 


73 


CHAPTER XIII. 

NICODEMUS. 

THE things that Jesus had done in the Temple 
made people talk about Him a great deal. 

The rulers of the Jews, too, and the proud priests 
and Pharisees talked about Him ; but they were 
angry with Him, and disliked Him, and they despised 
Him because He was poor, and because He came 
from Galilee ; also, they did not believe that He was 
t he Messiah, nor even a prophet. 

But one of these rulers, whose name was Nico- 
demus, thought over all that he had heard about 
Him — thought of His holy anger in the Temple, of 
the miracles He had done afterwards, and of the way 
some people were calling Him the Son of God — and 
he felt that he must try and see Him, and speak to 
Him. 

Now, Nicodemus was not only a ruler, he was also 
a great teacher; yet he felt that Jesus was more 
holy, and a greater teacher than himself. 

But what would the Jew's say, and what would 
the rulers say, if they knew that their great teacher 
was going to see the Carpenter from Nazareth, whom 
they despised and disliked so much ? 

Ah ! Nicodemus was afraid of what they might 
say and think. He knew that the other rulers did 



74 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

not like Jesus to teach ; and he was sure that they 
would be very angry with him if they knew that be 
was going to learn of Jesus, and to ask Him ques- 
tions. 


NAZARETH, THE HOME OF JESUS. 

But he was quite determined to go ; only he made 
up his mind that he would go to Jesus when it was 
dark, and no one could see him. 

As soon then as it was night, he went out into the 


NICODEMUS. 


75 


dark streets, and walked along till he came to the 
house where Jesus was staying; and when he had 
gone in, he said to Jesus, — 

“ Master, we know that you are a teacher come 
from God ; for no one could do the wonderful things 
you do, unless God was with him.” 

Jesus could see into the heart of His visitor ; and 
he knew that Nicodemus had come humbly, really 
wanting to be taught. So Jesus began by telling 
him plainly that unless he, and every one else, be- 
came quite changed, he could never get to heaven. 

Nicodemus was surprised to hear this. He thought 
that if he did good deeds and kept the law of Moses, 
he was certain of going to heaven. 

But Jesus explained to him that we need the 
Spirit of God within us to make our hearts clean. 

The Lord talked a great deal to Nicodemus that 
night, and told him many things. He told him that 
He — God’s Son — was going to die for sinrn rs ; and 
that all who believe in Him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life. 

Then He told Nicodemus of God’s great love to 
us; and how He gave His only Son, that all who 
believe in Him should live with Him for ever in 
heaven. 

Nicodemus listened so earnestly. But he could 
not quite understand all Jesus said. 

However, he always loved Jesus after that; and 
believed that He was the Son of God. 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


it) 


CHAPTER XIV. 

THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 

YTEITHER the Jews in Jerusalem, nor their rulers. 

vished to have the Lord amongst them. They 
would not listen to His words, and they did not care 
to be taught by Him, — indeed, as I have told you 
before, the rulers were very angry at His teaching 
at all, — so Jesus left the city. 

Is it not very strange that so few people loved the 
Lord Jesus, when He was also so very gentle and so 
kind ? and when He went about amongst them only 
to do good ? 

But as it was then, so it is now. There are so 
many, many people who do not care at all for our 
Blessed Saviour ; and there are so few who really 
love Him ! Yet He is just the same now as Lie 
always was, — the same gentle, loving Jesus, always 
ready to receive any who wish to go to Him. 

So because they did not care to have Him in 
Jerusalem, Jesus went, with His disciples, into the 
land of Judaea ; and He preached to the country 
people in the same places where John the Baptist 
had taught and baptized. 

A great many people came to Him there, and be- 
lieved in Him, and were sorry for their sins. And 
the disciples of Jesus baptized all those who wished 
to lead a new life. 


THE WOMAJS OF SAMARIA. 


77 


But after some time, the rulers in Jerusalem heard 
about it, and they were angry, and wished to pre- 
vent the people going after Jesus. When Jesus 
knew this, He went away from Judaea, and deter* 
mined to go back to Galilee again, where his old home 
was. But, first of all, He wished to go through 
another country, called Samaria. 

Now, I must explain to you that the people who 
lived in Samaria were called Samaritans, and the 
people who lived in Judaea were called Jews; and 
the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other, and 
could never show each other any kindness. 

One day, Jesus and His disciples had been walking 
a long way, and they were very tired. They had left 
Judaea behind them, and had come very near to a city 
of Samaria, when they reached a shady spot where 
was a deep well of clear, cold water. It was the mid- 
dle of the day, and very hot, and Jesus was too tired to 
go any further. So He sat down on the well to rest, 
while His disciples went on into the town to buy food. 

Presently, while He was sitting there alone, a 
woman of Samaria came that way, carrying a large 
pitcher on her head to fetch some water. J esus was 
very thirsty; and when the woman had drawn up 
her pitcher out of the well full of cool, delicious 
water, Jesus said to her,— 

“ Let me drink some.” 

But the woman would not give Him any. She 
said, — 


78 


TALKS TO CHILDliEy ABOUT JESUS. 


“ You are a Jew ; why do you ask me to give you 
water? for the Jews and the Samaritans have noth- 
ing to do with each other.” 

Jesus was not angry with the woman for her 
unkindness in refusing to give Him a drink of 
water. But He said to her so gently, — 

“ If you knew who I am, you would have asked 



JACOB’S WEBB. 


me to give you living water; and I would have 
given it to you.” 

The woman wondered what Jesus could mean ; so 
she answered, — 

“ Sir, the well is very deep, and you have nothing 
to draw water with ; so where could you get that 
living water from ? ” 

Jesus said, “If any one drinks of this water he 


THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 


79 


shall thirst again; but if any one shall drink of the 
water that I shall give him, he shall never thirst.” 

What did Jesus mean ? 

He spoke of the Holy Spirit which He will give 
to all who ask Him. Those who have the love of 
God in their hearts are always happy, and joyful, 
and hopeful ; for they know that God is their Friend, 
and that when this life is over, everlasting life will 
begin with Him in heaven. 

But the woman did not understand this ; and yet 
she seemed to feel as if the stranger had some bless- 
ing to give. So she asked for it. 

“ Sir,” she said, “ give me this living water, that 
I may never be thirsty again, or be obliged to come 
here to draw water.” 

So, without knowing it, she was really asking 
Jesus for the Holy Spirit, And Jesus gave it to her, 
as He said He would. But first He began to teach 
her; for she was very ignorant and very sinful. 
She did not know rightly about God,* nor how to 
pray to Him. 

So, first of all, He began to teach her about herself. 
He showed her that she was a sinner, and that He 
knew all about it. 

Then He told her about God His Father. 

He told her that God is a Spirit. Though we 
cannot see Him, yet He can see us, for He is every- 
where, and is always near us. He is so forgiving 
* “ Ye worship ye know not what .” — John iv. 22. 



THR WOMAN OF SAMARIA, 


THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 


81 


and so kind that He wants all poor sinners to come 
to Him, that they may be forgiven, and learn to do 
better. But then they must really want Him to 
forgive them, and not only say the words ; for God 
can see into all hearts, and He only answers the 
prayers of those who mean what they say . 

The woman listened very attentively to Jesus as 
He was telling her all this, but she did not quite 
understand even yet. However, she began to wish 
to do better, and she said to Jesus, — 

“ I know that the Messiah is coming one day; 
when He comes He will teach us.” 

How great was her surprise when Jesus told 
her, — 

“ I am He ; I, who am speaking to you now.” 

What ! He ! the poor, tired, thirsty traveller, 
who was sitting on the well to rest! He the 
Messiah ! Could it be ? 

Yes; she felt in her heart that it was true. 

You remember that the disciples of Jesus had 
gone away into the town to buy food. They had 
now just returned to their Lord again and they 
wondered to find Him talking to the woman. But 
they did not dare ask Him, “ Why do you speak to 
her ? ” 

And what does the woman do now ? 

As fast as she could, she hurried away to the 
town, that she might tell all the people there the 
joyful news that the Saviour of the world had come. 

6 


62 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


She was so eager to tell the wonderful story, that 
in her haste she quite forgot to take back her 
pitcher. 

“ Come,” she said to the men of the town ; “ come, 
see a man who has told me all the things I have 
ever done. This must be the Messiah.” 

While the woman was telling her neighbours to 
come to Jesus, the disciples tried to make their 
Master take some food. 

“ Master, eat,” they said to Him. 

But Jesus was not hungry now. 

He had been both hungry, and thirsty, and tired 
before ; but He cared so much for the poor sinner to 
whom He had been speaking, and He wanted so 
much to make her forsake her sins and love His 
Father, that He forgot all about His food, and He 
did not want any now. So when the disciples 
begged Him to eat, He said to them, — 

“I have meat to eat that you do not know 
about.” 

“ Has any one brought Him any food to eat ? ” the 
disciples asked each other, wondering. 

Then Jesus explained to them what He meant. 

“ My meat is to do my Fathers will, and to finish 
His work.” 

More than His food, more than; His rest, more 
than His life , He loved to do His Father’s will at all 
times. 

And now the Samaritans came flocking to Him 


THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 


83 


out of the city; and as Jesus sat on the well He 
taught them. 

As they listened to Him they forgot He was a 
Jew ; and, as they heard His gracious words, they 
longed to have Him always with them, and they 
begged Him to stay with them. 

So Jesus remained two days in the city. 

As He preached, a great many people believed in 



AN ANCIENT WEEE. 


Him. Some believed because of what the wowian 
had told them when she said, “ He has told me all 
the things that I have ever done.” 

And many more believed in Him because of wiuAt 
they heard Him say ; and they said to the 
woman, — 

“ Now we believe, not because of what you told 


84 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


us, for we have heard Him ourselves, and we know 
that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the 
world.” 


CHAPTER XV. 


THE NOBLEMAN’S SON. 


FTER Jesus, with His disciples, had remained 



^ two days in that Samaritan city where He had 
been so gladly received, He went away again, and 
continued His journey to Galilee. 

At last He arrived at Cana, which was the place 
where He had done His first miracle, by changing 
the water into wine. 

The news of His coming had spread all over that 
country, for many of the people had been to Jerusa- 
lem at the feast, and had seen all that Jesus had 
done there. So they were talking about Him a 
great deal. 

Now, there was a city about twenty miles off — 
which is a very long way — called Capernaum, and 
in that city there lived a nobleman who was in sad 
trouble. He had a son who was very ill, and the 
doctors could not cure him. He was getting worse 
and worse, and the poor father did not know what 
to do. 

Just at this time the nobleman heard that Jesus 
had come back from Judaea. This was indeed good 


THE NOBLEMAN’S SON. 


85 


news ! He had heard that J esus had cured many 
sick people, and he thought that perhaps He would 
make his poor, sick son well again if he asked Him. 
So he made up his mind to go to Him at once. 

Yery early in the morning he set off. He had a 
long way to go, and there was no time to lose, for 
his son was sinking fast. 

When he got to Cana, he went straight to Jesus, 
and told him the great trouble he was in. Then he 
begged Jesus very earnestly to go back with him to 
Capernaum to heal his child, because he was at the 
point of death. 

Jesus wanted to see if the nobleman really believed 
that He had the power to heal his son ; so He said 
to him, — 

“ You will not believe in me unless you see me 
do miracles ! ” 

The man said, “ Sir, come down, or my child will 
die.” 

He did believe that Jesus could make him well ; 
and so he wanted Him to set out, that very minute, 
to go to Capernaum. 

But Jesus did not intend to go with him, for there 
was no reason why He should ; He could cure the 
sick child just as easily from a distance as near. He 
wanted, too, to see if the nobleman would believe 
His simple word. 

“Go home again,” Jesus said; “your son is get- 
ting well.” 


86 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Did the nobleman believe it? 

Yes. As soon as Jesus bad spoken, all bis sad- 
ness went away, and he felt quite happy. Then he 
went away to go back to his own house. 

Next day, while he was still on his way home 
(for you remember I told you that Capernaum was 
a long \vay from Cana), his servants met him with 
the happy news. 

“ Your son is much bettor ; he is getting well,” 
they said. 

“What time was it when he began to get better?” 
the nobleman asked. 

They answered, “Yesterday, at one o’clock, the 
fever left him.” 

So the father knew that it was at the very same 
hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son is get- 
ting well.” 

Do you not think the nobleman must have loved 
Jesus very much after that? 

Yes, he did. And he and all his family believed 
that Jesus was the Son of God. 

This was the second miracle that Jesus did in 
Cana of Galilee. 


JESUS DRIVEN AWAY FROM NAZARETH. 87 

CHAPTER XVI. 

JESUS DRIVEN AWAY FROM NAZARETH. 

T last Jesus came to Nazareth, the place where 



He had been brought up. He had not been 
home for a long time ; and since last He was there, 
He had done many wonderful things. 

What was the work Jesus used to do when He 
lived in Nazareth, before He began to go about to 
preach and to heal the sick ? 

You remember that He was a carpenters son, 
and was Himself a carpenter; and no doubt He had 
often done work for the townspeople. Everybody 
knew him quite well in the little town, and now 
that they had heard so much of what He had done 
in other places, they were very eager to see Him 
again. 

It was the Sabbath day, and Jesus, as He was 
always accustomed to do, went into the synagogue. 

What is a synagogue ? It is a building like our 
churches, where people meet to pray to and worship 


God. 


There Jesus sat, in the house of prayer, where 
often and often He had been, from the time He was 
a little boy. Then He was silent, and used only to 
listen ; now He was going to read and preach. 

The synagogue was full, and every eye was upon 


88 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

Him as He stood up to read. Then the book of 
the prophet Isaiah (part of our Bible) was given to 
Him. Jesus took the book and found the place 
where it is written : 

“ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He 
hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; 
He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to 
preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of 
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are 
captive, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” 

When He had read this, He closed the book, and 
gave it again to the minister, and sat down; for 
Jesus always preached sitting down. 

And all the people in the synagogue kept looking 
at Him still, and never took their eyes off Him. 

Then Jesus began to tell them that He was the 
one upon whom the Spirit of God was — that He was 
the Messiah spoken of in that Scripture. 

Just at first they liked to listen to Him. There 
was a power and a grace in the Saviour’s words and 
manner that filled the people with wonder and 
admiration. But soon they began to change their 
minds, and to get angry. They whispered amongst 
each other, — 

“ Is not this the carpenter ? the son of Joseph and 
Mary? We have known Him all His life and we 
know His brothers too ; and His sisters are living 
amongst us. Does He try to make us believe that 
He is the Messiah ? ” 


JESUS DRIVEN AWAY FROM NAZARETH. 89 

Jesus knew quite well all that they were thinking 
of. He knew that they were wanting Him to do 
some great miracle; He knew that they were jeal- 
ous, because He had done wonderful things in other 
places, and not there ; and He told them that He 
knew it all, and that it was only what he had 
expected. 

But He warned them against hardness of heart 
and unbelief ; and He told them that God could take 
away blessings from them, and give them to others, 
who would show themselves to be more worthy. 

The people were proud and jealous, and they 
could not bear to hear Jesus speak like this. 

“ What business has He to teach at all ? ” they said. 

They were mad with anger and hate. Though it 
was the Sabbath day, and though they were in 
God’s house of prayer, all the people who were in 
the synagogue rose from their seats, and in their 
fury they seized hold of the holy, gentle Saviour, 
dragged Him out of the synagogue and out of the city, 
and took Him to the edge of a very steep hill, intend- 
ing to kill Him, by throwing Him down headlong. 

Yes ! they would have murdered Him ! But His 
time — His Fathers time — was not yet come. He 
intended to die for sinners — even for those cruel, 
rude, and ungrateful Nazarenes — but not now. 

And so it happened, that just when they least 
expected it, Jesus worked a miracle. 

In a moment He was gone. 


90 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Where ? 

They could not see Him ; for He hid Himself from 
their eyes, and passed right through the very midst 
of them. 

Gone ! because they thrust Him out, and would 
not have Him amongst them. 

Gone for ever ! for we never hear of His returning 
to Nazareth any more. How sad ! 

Oh, how wicked and foolish the Nazarenes had 
been ! They had known Jesus for thirty years, and 
had never known him to commit one fault. They 
had never known Him to do an unkind thing, or speak 
an unkind word. They knew Him to be sinless and 
holy, and yet they wished to kill Him. 

We may be sure the Saviour’s heart was sad and 
full of grief as He turned away from that little 
town. He longed to give the people that “ living 
water ” of which He had spoken to the woman of 
Samaria — the Holy Spirit — but they would not. 

The Samaritans believed in Him, and received 
Him : the Nazarenes rejected Him, and thrust Him 
away from them. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

JESUS CAUIrS HIS DISCIPUES AGAIN. 

rpHE Lord Jesus having been driven away from 
Nazareth by the savage fury of the people who 
lived there, went down to the Lake of Gennesa- 


HILLS OVERLOOKING THE SEA OF GALILEE. 






92 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESTfS. 


reth ; and there it was that He chose to live and 
work. 

It was a most beautiful place. All kinds of 
flowers grew in that lovely valley ; and there were a 
great many different sorts of fruits — grapes and 
oranges, figs and almonds, dates and pomegranates. 
The air was soft and warm, and full of delicious 
scent from a thousand flowers. 

Beautiful birds are there also, in plenty — the 
roller bird, with its bright blue wings, and the king- 
fisher, with its gay and many-colored plumage. 
Then the Lake, too, with its clear and sparkling 
water, was very beautiful. In it there were quanti- 
ties of fishes ; and many people got their living by 
catching the fish and selling them. 

But it was not because of its beauty that Jesus 
chose to live in that valley. It was because there 
were so many thousands of people there. All round 
the Lake of Gennesareth there were a great number 
of towns and villages ; and every town and village 
was full of people, for it was a very busy place. 

And so it was to preach the Gospel to the many 
thousands there, that Jesus went to live amongst them 

Do you know the meaning of the word “ Gospel ?'’ 

It means “good news.” And was it not good 
news that Jesus had to tell them? that He was 
come — the Saviour of the world — to seek and to save 
all poor sinners who were sorry for their naughtiness, 
if they would only believe and trust in Him. 


JESUS CALLS nrs DISCIPLES AGAIN. 


93 


You remember I told you of some fishermen who 
had become disciples of Jesus, — John, and Andrew, 
and Simon ? Their home was in this Lake country. 
You remember, too, that they had been with their 
Lord at Jerusalem, Samaria and Cana, and had seen 
all the wonderful things He had done. They had 
seen Him work miracles ; they had seen Him heal 
the sick by a word, and they had listened to His 
teaching. 

But now they were home again, and were work- 
ing at their old trade of fishing, and Jesus was not 
with them. 

We are not told when they got separated from 
their Master ; perhaps it was when He escaped in 
that wonderful way from the angry Nazarenes. 

I think they must have felt very sad, not having 
their Lord with them ; and perhaps they were be- 
ginning to fear that He could not be the Messiah, 
after all. And now, too, they heard bad news, 
which grieved them. John the Baptist, who had 
been their teacher, who had baptized them, and 
who had pointed them to Jesus as the Lamb of God 
who had come to take away the sins of the world, — 
John the Baptist, that great preacher and prophet, 
had been put in prison by the wicked King Herod. 
How sad it all was ! So different from what they 
had hoped and expected ! 

One day Peter and Andrew were on the sea-shore, 
casting a net into the water, to try and catch some 


94 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


fish. A little further on, James and John were sit- 
ting in a ship with their father mending their nets, 
which had been torn and broken by the sharp cor- 
ners and edges of the rocks. They were all very 
busy, when, lo! Jesus came that way! He stopped, 
and called them. 

“ Leave the fishes, and come with me ; and I will 
teach you how to catch men.” 

What did He mean by this ? 

He meant that He would teach them to do His 
work. 

And what was His work ? 

To seek and to save sinners; to preach the Gos- 
pel to the poor. 

As soon as the disciples heard that voice they 
knew and loved so well, they obeyed at once. They 
left their fathers, their ships and their nets, and 
went to their own dear Master once more. 

And now Jesus began again His work of love and 
kindness. He taught in the synagogues, and He 
healed the sick. And the people were so eager to 
hear the word of God that a very great number fol- 
lowed Him. 

But where were Peter, and Andrew, and James, 
and J olin ? They were gone back to their fishing 
again. They did not seem to understand that if 
they were to help Jesus in His great work, they 
must give up their fishing altogether. 

They had been out all night in their boats ; they 


JESUS GALLS HIS DISCIPLES AGAIN. 


95 


had worked hard; but they had not caught any- 
thing. When the morning came, they brought their 
boats to land, and got out of them, and began to 
wash and clean their nets. While they were doing 
this, Jesus came. 

He had been speaking to the people; and they 
had pressed so closely upon Him, either to hear 
His words or to be healed of their sicknesses, that 
as they came closer and closer, they were preventing 
His being able to move about. 

So He got into one of the boats, which belonged 
to Peter, and begged Peter to push out the boat a 
little into the water. Then Jesus sat down and 
taught the people from the boat. 

I dare say He was very tired when He had fin- 
ished speaking to them. But He did not think of 
Himself at all. As soon as His sermon had come 
to an end, He thought only of His poor disciples. 
He knew that they had been out fishing all night, 
and had caught nothing at all. So He said to 
Peter : 

“Push your ship into deep water, and then let 
down your nets once more.” 

Peter almost doubted whether it would be of any 
use. 

“ Master,” he said, “ we have toiled all night and 
have taken nothing ; but as you tell me to do it, I 
will let down the net.” 

And now, in a moment, as soon as ever they had 



WE HAVE toiled all night. 





JESUS CALLS HIS DISCIPLES AGAIN. 97 

done it, such a multitude of fishes came into the net 
that it was actually breaking. Then they beckoned 
to James and John that they should bring their 
boat quickly and help them. And the^y came, and 
filled both the ships so full that they were almost 
sinking. Never, in all their lives, had the fishermen 
taken such an enormous number of fishes before, at 
one time. 

When Peter saw the miracle that had just been 
done, he felt how great Jesus was, and how unwor- 
thy he himself was to have such a Master. He fell 
down on his knees at Jesus’ feet, and said : 

“ Go away from me ; for I am a sinful man, 0 
Lord.” 

He was so astonished, and so were the other dis- 
ciples, at the number of the fishes which they had 
taken. 

How gently and tenderly Jesus answered him! 

“ Do not be afraid ; from this time you shall catch 
men.” 

Not Peter only, but James, and John, and Andrew 
also, began to understand that if they were, indeed, 
to become fishers of men, they must give up every- 
thing for Christ. 

And so they did. They did not hesitate. They 
brought their ships to land, and then they left all, 
and followed their Blessed Master. 


7 


93 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

A SABBATH AT CAPERNAUM. 

pAPERNAUM was the name of one of the many 
^ towns on the borders of the beautiful Lake of 
Gennesareth ; and here it was that J esus lived for a 
long time. He had no home — no house of His own; 
but it is supposed that He lived in Peter’s house. 

As I told you before, Jesus did not now work as 
a carpenter; He was always going about doing good. 
Though he lived at Capernaum, He often made long 
journeys from there, going to other towns all round 
the lake, and going up into the hill country, all 
over Galilee. 

Teaching, preaching and healing were His con- 
stant work, day after day. 

Now I am going to tell you of the way Jesus 
spent His first Sabbath at Capernaum; and you will 
see how very good He was, and how much more He 
cared for others than for Himself. 

First of all, He went into the synagogue and 
taught. This He always did, wherever He was ; 
and people always wondered as they listened to 
Him ; for He did not teach them like any one else. 

While He was speaking in the synagogue, and the 
people were very attentively listening, on a sudden 
a great cry was heard. A poor man was there who 


A SABBATH AT CAPERNAUM. 


99 


had an evil spirit in him ; and he hated and feared 
Jesus, and he hated His words. How dreadful this 
was ! No one could cure him, for it is only God 
who has power over the devil and all wicked spirits. 
The man cried out with a loud voice, — 

“ Let us alone ; what have we to do with you, 
Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? 
I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 



Jesus was grieved. The sight of sm, or suffering; 
always made Him sad. He turned to the poor man, 
and He rebuked, or spoke sternly — not to him, but 
to the devil that was in him. 

“ Be silent, and come out of him,” the Lord said. 

And the devil must obey ! The poor man fell on 
the ground, screaming out ; but in a moment he was 
well. At the Saviours word the evil spirit had gone 


iO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


out of him, and the man was at peace and in his 
right mind. 

Just think of the amazement of the people, as 
they saw what Jesus had done ! They said to each 
other, — 

“ What thing is this? for He has power even over 
the evil spirits, and they obey Him ! ” 

When they had come out of the synagogue, Jesus 
went into the house of Peter and Andrew; and 
James and John went with Him. And the mother 
of Peter’s wife was very ill indeed, with a great 
fever; and they told Jesus about it, and begged Him 
to make her well. 

At once He went to the sick woman’s bedside. 
He rebuked the lever (as He had rebuked the evil 
spirit) ; then He gently took her by the hand and 
lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she was quite 
well. 

After a fever, a person is always very weak ; but 
Peter’s mother-in-law was not. Jesus had cured her 
completely, so that she was quite strong and able to 
get up and busy herself in getting ready the Sab- 
bath meal for her kind and Holy Guest and His 
disciples. 

See how much Jesus had already done! but the 
day’s work was not nearly over yet. 

All the people in Capernaum had heard of the 
miracle He had performed in the synagogue that 
morning, by healing the poor demoniac; and so 


A SAB BA Til AT CA.PERNAUM. 


101 


every one who was ill, or diseased, or possessed by an 
evil spirit, wished to go to the great Prophet and 
Healer to be made well. 

But the Jews were very strict about keeping the 
Sabbath holy, and they even thought it wrong for 
sick people to go and be cured on that day. So they 
were obliged to wait till evening; for the Jewish 
Sabbath is over as soon as the sun sets. How they 
must have longed for the evening ! 

At last the sun went down. And after that, as 
quickly as possible, the streets were filled with sick 
people — all going one way — all going to the humble 
house of Peter the fisherman, where Jesus was. 

The Bible says that “all the city was gathered 
together at the door.” There were the lame and the 
blind ; those who had bad fevers and different dis- 
eases, and many who were possessed by devils. There 
were many who were too ill to walk — almost dying 
— carried by their friends on beds, to go to Jesus. 

And He healed them all. The diseases of every 
one were driven away, either by the touch of His 
pure and gentle hands, or by the sound of His holy 
voice. 

This work of healing did not only cause fatigue 
and weariness to our Blessed Saviour, it also caused 
Him great pain. He saw before Him so much sor- 
row and suffering ; and all that sorrow and suffering 
He shared. His heart ached with the sight of so 
much misery. 


102 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


His love and compassion were so great, that it was 
as if He Himself had to bear it all. And indeed He 
did bear it all. For God’s Word tells us that He 
took our griefs and sicknesses upon Himself; and He 
did much more than this, — He bore our sins — our 
vile and hateful sins — in His own body on the cross. 

Can anything show 
us more plainly how 
wonderfully loving and 
tender our Lord is ! 

But now the people 
had all gone home, and 
the tired Saviour went 
to rest. One would have 
thought He needed long 
rest and sleep after 
such a day of toil. 

But no ! 

In the morning, a 
great while before it 
became light, He got 
up again and went out 
of the house ; He passed 
through the silent streets till He left the town far 
behind Him, and then He went into some lonely 
place, — perhaps up in the hills, — and there prayed. 

This His great refreshment and His greatest 
rest, — to talk to His Father in heaven, to pray to 
Him and to praise Him. 



pharisee praying. 


THE SEMMON ON THE MOUNT. 


103 


CHAPTER XIX. 

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

may be sure the news of all that had hap- 
pened in Capernaum on that Sabbath-day, 
spread quickly all over the country. Every one 
was talking of the great Prophet who had done such 
wonderful things; and people came from all the 
towns and villages round to see and hear Him. 

When Jesus saw what a great number of people 
were following Him, He went up into a mountain to 
preach to them ; for there was a place there where 
many thousands could hear Him at the same time. 

Then He sat down, with His disciples near Him ; 
and as all that immense crowd gathered round 
Him — as closely as they could, so that they might 
hear every word — He began to teach them. 

What He taught was very different from what the 
Scribes and Pharisees had been accustomed to teach. 
In Christ’s Sermon there is a great deal that you are 
not old enough to understand yet ; but there is also 
a great deal that the youngest child can understand. 

He began by calling those “ blessed” who are 
humble, and do not think much of themselves; 
those, also, who are sorry for sin ; the meek too ; 
and those who long to be holy ; the merciful and kind- 
hearted ; the pure in heart ; and the peacemakers. 



r 


THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 105 

Jesus also said that those are blessed who are 
hated and unkindly treated because they are good, 
and love and fear God. 

Then He said that His people must be loving and 
kind to all ; not only to those who are gentle and 
loving to us, but even to those who are unkind and 
spiteful. 

Is not this a very difficult thing to do ? and could 
we ever do it without God’s help ? 

Oh, no. It is only by His Holy Spirit within us, 
that we can ever hope to be kind and loving to 
those who hate us. 

Think of this, dear children, whenever you are 
tempted to get into a passion, to strike a blow, or 
even to say an angry word. If you wish to be a 
child of your heavenly Father and a little disciple of 
the Lord Jesus, you will try to keep down all angry 
tempers, praying for God’s Holy Spirit to enable you 
to do it. 

Jesus will see it, and it will please Him. 

The Saviour went on talking a great deal more to 
the people, and they never wearied listening to 
Him. 

He taught them that God is a loving Father. 
The Jews had only thought of Him as a stern and 
holy God, and a righteous Judge ; but Jesus told 
them more about Him than they had ever known 
before. 

He told them that God is love. Much, much 


106 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


more loving than even the kindest earthly parent. 
That God was always thinking about them, and 
taking care of them. He said, — 

“ Do not be afraid that you will not have enough 
to eat, or that you will not have clothes to wear. 
Just look at the little birds that are flying all round 
you ! they cannot do anything to earn their living ; 
yet your heavenly Father gives them food. 

“ And look at the beautiful flowers ! they cannot 
work; and yet, even king Solomon in all his glory 
had no such beautiful clothing as these lovely flowers 
have. 

“ So, if God takes such care of the birds and the 
flowers, He will much more take care of you. Only, 
seek first to know and do His will, and He will give 
you everything that is necessary for you.” 

Then Jesus taught them a little prayer; and the 
w^ords He used are what we call “ the Lord’s 
Prayer.” 

He knew that the proud Pharisees often used long 
prayers, just that people might think them very 
good; and they often prayed in the streets; for 
there were certain hours in the day when they said 
particular prayers ; and if they happened to be in 
the streets then, they would say their prayers out in 
the streets, and they liked to be seen doing it. 

Jesus said, “ Do not be like these proud people, 
who pretend to be good, and are not good. But 
when you pray, go quietly into your room and shut 


THE SEEM ON ON THE MOUNT. 


107 


the door, and pray to your Father in secret ; for He 
will see you and hear you. 

“ And pray in this way : — Our Father, which art 
in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom 
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us 
our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass 
against us. And lead us not into temptation, but 
deliver us from evil ; for Thine is the kingdom, and 
the power and the glory for ever. Amen.” 

Do you know what it means, “ Hallowed be thy 
name ? ” It means, “ Let God’s name be praised.” 

Trespasses, you know, mean sins. 

After the prayer, Jesus said these solemn words : — 

“ If you forgive any one who has offended you, 
your heavenly Father will also forgive you : but if 
you will not forgive any one who has offended you, 
your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

Let us always remember this, and pray God to 
give us loving and forgiving hearts. 

Jesus finished His beautiful sermon by saying, 
“ Every one who has heard Me, and will do as I 
have said, I will tell you what he is like. He is 
like a very wise man who built his house upon a 
rock : and the rain came pouring down, and a flood 
of water came rushing along, and a very strong 
wind blew : but the house did not fall : for it was 
firm on the rock. 

“ But every one who has heard Me, and will not 


108 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


do as I have said, is like a foolish man, who built his 
house upon the sand : and the rain poured down, 
and the floods came, and a strong wind blew ; and 
the house fell : and it was a very terrible fall.” 

Jesus Christ is the Rock. All who trust in Him 
are safe for ever; for He is the Saviour of all those 
who believe. 



Those who do not care for Him, and will not be- 
lieve in Him or trust Him, must perish. For the 
Bible tells us that the wicked shall be cast into hell, 
and all the people who forget God. 


THE LEPER HEALED. 


109 


CHAPTER XX. 

THE LEPER HEALED. 

SPHERE is no disease in the world so dreadful or 
"** so horrible as leprosy. There is no cure for it. 

It often begins first as a little white spot— nothing 
very bad to look at — but the hearts of those who 
are attacked by it, ache when they see it ; for they 
know it will spread and spread, and that they will 
get worse and worse, till at last they will die from it. 

It is a very painful disease, too ; as it spreads 
over the body, it seems to eat into the flesh ; and 
gradually the fingers drop off, and the hand and 
arm, or perhaps the feet, begin to rot and drop off. 

Sometimes little babies, and very young children, 
had this fearful illness ; and oh, how sad to think 
that they could never grow up to be healthy or 
strong; but that this horrible leprosy would spread 
all over them till at last it would kill them. 

There was another very sad thing about leprosy. 
As soon as it was known that any one had this 
dreadful disease, the person was never allowed tc 
remain in his own house ; he was obliged to go away 
and live with others who were lepers too. 

He was never allowed to be with those who were 
healthy and well ; and he was obliged to go about 
with his clothes torn (as a sign of mourning), with 


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THE LEPER HEALED. 


Ill 


his head bare, with his face half covered. If any 
one was to come near him, when he was walking out 
of doors, he must call out, — 

“ Unclean ! unclean ! ” 

And then people would shun him, and start on 
one side — so afraid of touching the poor miserable 
leper. He could never go to God’s house ; never go 
up to Jerusalem to the feast of the Passover; but he 
must be an outcast all his life, without any hope of 
ever being better — knowing, indeed, that he must 
get worse and worse. 

There was a poor leper who had heard of Jesus, 
and of the wonderful things He had done ; how He 
had made the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the 
deaf to hear ; how He had cast out devils, and 
healed those who had been at the point of death. 

When he heard of these things he thought to 
himself, “ If He can do all this, He can make even 
me well ! ” And so he determined to go to J esus, 
and ask to be healed. 

The Lord had just finished His Sermon on the 
Mount, and had come down into the valley again — 
still followed by a great crowd of people — when this 
poor leper pressed forward to go to Jesus. He felt 
it was his only chance. If Jesus would not heal 
him, nobody else could. But would He heal a 
wretched leper? 

The crowd moved back and made way for him, as 
he still pressed on; they were afraid of being 


112 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


touched by the loathsome leper. At last He came 
to where Jesus was, and he threw Himself down at 
the Saviour’s feet. 

“ Lord, if you will, you can make me clean,” he 
cried in his great earnestness. 

He was sure Jesus could do it; but he doubted if 
He would. How little he knew the Saviour’s won- 
derful love, and tenderness, and compassion. 

Jesus could have cured him with a word. But 
He was so “ moved with compassion,” He felt such 
pity for the poor leper who was shunned by every- 
body, and whom nobody would touch, that He put 
out His own pure and holy hand, and touched him, 
and He said, — 

“ I will ; be thou clean.” 

And at that touch, in a moment the foul leprosy 
was gone; and his body which, just a minute before 
was full ^ the disease, was now in perfect health. 

Then Jesus charged him very particularly. 

“ Be sure, you do not tell any one what has been 
done : but go away now, and show yourself to the 
priest, and offer for your cleansing those things that 
Moses has commanded.’’ 

Why did Jesus tell him not to talk of the way he 
had been healed ? 

Because there was already such a great multitude 
following Him, that if more were to come it would 
hinder Him in His work ; and perhaps, also, it 
might make the rulers interfere. 


THE LEPER HEALED. 


113 


So the man went away. But did he obey Jesus? 

No. As he went, he began to tell every one about 
the miracle Jesus had done. On his way to the 
priest, and wherever he went, he spoke about it; 
and so blazed abroad the matter that Jesus could 
not remain in the city any longer ; but was obliged 
to go out into lonely desert places. 

However, people still came flocking after Him, 
from every direction. 

Sin is like leprosy; and this is a disease we are 
all suffering from. Sin is in every one, even in little 
tiny children. At first it only appears like a little 
spot ; but how soon it spreads ! 

Look at a young baby, — it is cross or passionate 
sometimes ; ah ! that is the spot of sin ! As it grows 
older, other faults appear, — it is selfish, wilful, diso- 
bedient — this is the disease spreading. Then it be- 
comes untruthful, and hardened perhaps. Ah ! how 
sad ! How can sin — this horrible sin — be cured ? 

We must do as the poor leper did ; we must go to 
Jesus. He can , and He will heal us, if we will only 
ask Him ; and He will give us His Holy Spirit to 
make our hearts clean. 

But our hearts are so evil, and Satan is so busy — 
always tempting us to do, or say, or think things 
that are not good — that we are sinning every day. 
Let us then pray to Jesus every day, very earnestly, 
to make us clean, and to wash away all our sins in 
His most precious Blood. 

8 


114 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then, when this life is over, He will take us to 
be with Him for ever, in that blessed land where 
there is no more sorrow, or crying, or any pain ; and 
where there is no more sin. 


CHAPTER XXI. 

THE CENTURION’S FAITH. 

SPHERE lived at Capernaum a man who was rich 
and great. He was an officer, with command 
over a hundred soldiers, and he was called a centu- 
rion. 

He was not a Jew, but he loved the Jews; and 
since he had lived amongst them he had learned to 
know the true God. While he was at Capernaum, 
he built a synagogue with his own money ; and he 
was so kind and good that the Jews loved him, 
though he belonged to another nation, — and this 
was a thing they very seldom did. 

This centurion had a servant whom he loved very 
much ; and the servant was ill, — so ill that he was 
“ ready to die.” 

His master was greatly distressed; but he had 
heard of Jesus, and from all he had heard, he was 
quite sure that He was the Son of God. Yes; 
Jesus could help him, he knew quite well, and so he 


THE CENTURION'S FAITH. 


115 


would send a messenger to Him, to beg Him to heal 
his servant. 

But why did he not go himself? Did he think 
himself too grand to go to a poor man — as Jesus 
was — even though He was a Prophet ? 

No ; that was not the reason. It was because he 
was so humble-minded, — because he thought so little 
of himself. He is the only man we read of in the 
Bible, who thought himself unworthy to go and 
speak to Jesus himself. He was a Gentile (all peo- 
ple who are not J ews were called Gentiles) ; and he 
thought that this was another reason why he was 
not a fit person to go to the holy Prophet of Naza- 
reth. 

So the centurion went to the elders of the Jews, 
and begged them to go to Jesus, and to tell Him 
about the sick servant, and ask Him to make him 
well. 

The Jewish elders were quite willing to do this 
for the centurion ; for, as I have just told you, they 
all liked him so much. 

They went, therefore, to the Saviour, and prayed 
Him very earnestly to come and heal the sick man. 
They told Jesus whose servant he was; and then 
they said that the centurion was quite worthy to 
have this kindness done for him, because he loved 
the Jews, and had built them a synagogue. 

The elders seemed to think that if Jesus came, it 
would only be because of their pleading 1 They did 


116 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


not know about His wonderful love and compassion ; 
and that He was always ready to heal all who were 
sick, even if neither they, nor those who asked Him, 
were worthy of the blessing. 

The Lord answered the messengers at once, and 
so kindly, — 

“ I will come and heal him,” He said. 

So He went with the elders. But as He was 
on His way, and was now not far from the house, 
the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, 9 

u Lord, do not trouble yourself to come ; for I am 
not worthy to have you in my house, nor did I think 
myself worthy to come to you ; but speak the word 
only, and my servant shall be healed.” 

When Jesus heard this, He marvelled, — tha u 
means, He was greatly surprised. He turned round 
and said to all the people who were following 
Him, — 

“ Truly I say unto you, I have not found so great 
faith, no, not in Israel.” 

Even His own disciples had not shown so much 
faith in their Lord as this humble-minded stranger 
— this Gentile — had done. 

Jesus went on to say that many believing people 
should come from other nations, and sit down in the 
kingdom of heaven ; and that many unbelieving 
Jews should not see heaven, but be cast out in outer 
darkness. 

These were not pleasant words for the elders to 


THE WIDOW OF NAIN. 


117 


hear. They thought that the Jews were sure oi 
heaven ; and that the Gentiles, whom they despised 
so much, would be the outcasts. They did not un- 
derstand that it was faith, such as the centurion had 


— faith in the Lord Jesus — that would give them 
the right to enter in, whether Jew or Gentile. 

Then Jesus sent 
this answer to the 
centurion, by the 
messengers, — 

“ As you have 
believed, so be it 
done unto you.” 

The friends who 
had been sent, re- 
turned then to the 
centurion’s house ; 
an oriental, at prayer. and they found 

that the servant who had been so dangerously ill, 
was now quite well. Christ’s word had healed him. 



CHAPTER XXIL 

THE WIDOW OF NAIN. 

npWENTY-FIVE miles from Capernaum, there was 
a little town called Nain. Nain means “ Fair,” 
and it was given this name because it was so prettily 



(ii8) 


RAISING THE SON OR THE WIDOW OE NAIN, 


THE WIDO W OF NAIN. 


119 


situated, — perched high up against the side of a 
sloping mountain. 

But one day there was sorrow — great sorrow in 
the pretty little town. A poor mother was crying 
bitterly ; for her deer son was dead, and she was 
alone now. 

She was a widow — which means that her husband 
was dead — and now her only son had just died! 
How sad for her ! 

The very day he died, he was to be buried. His 
body was to be laid in a quiet grave outside the city 
walls. A great many people were with the poor un- 
happy mother. They knew about her great sorrow ; 
and they wanted to show her how much they felt for 
her, and how gladly they would have comforted her if 
they could. 

And so the solemn procession left the widow’s 
house. There were men carrying the dead body 
on a sort of wooden couch, ‘called a bier, and all the 
mourners followed it. 

I dare say you have often seen a funeral proces- 
sion passing along the road, or street. You have 
seen, perhaps, some poor father, or mother, or daugh- 
ter, or sister, crying very much as they were follow- 
ing their darling child, or parent, or brother, or 
sister to the grave ; but everything was very quiet, 
and the tears shed were silent tears. 

It is quite different, however, in that country of 
which I am telling you. There it is the custom to 


120 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


make loud cries of mourning and distress ; to weep 
violently and noisily, to make a sound of wailing and 
great lamentation, so that people a long way off 
could hear. 

The sad procession had passed through the streets 
of Nain, and had just got outside the gate of the 
city, when another procession — a glad and joyous 
one — was seen coming up the steep and rocky path 
which led to, the town. 

Who were they? 

It was Jesus followed by His disciples and a great 
crowd of people, who had accompanied Him all the 
way from Capernaum. On they came, climbing 
slowly up the narrow stony path, till they were 
quite close to the men who were carrying the dead 
man on the bier. 

J esus saw the poor mother crying very much ; 
He knew how sad her heart was, for he knew all 
her story ; and He knew how much she had loved 
her boy. His own great heart was sad to see her 
sorrow ; He felt great pity for her (for the heart of 
Jesus is more tender and loving than any other hu- 
man heart), and He wanted to dry her tears. 

•“Weep not,” He said to the poor widow, with 
wonderful love and pity in His voice. 

And then He went to the coffin and touched it ; 
and the men who were carrying it stood still. 

Jesus did not tell them to stop ; but there was 
something about Him that tilled them with respect 


HIE WIDOW OF FAIN. 


121 


and awe ; and at His touch they waited, in silent 
wonder, to see what He would do. 

And what did He do ? 

He spoke to the dead man, and said, “ Young 
man, I say to you, get up.” 

But could the dead man hear ? 

Yes, when Jesus spoke ; for the dead can hear the 
voice of the Son of God, and all who hear shall live. 

And so it was with the widow’s son. At the 
words of Jesus life came back into the dead man’s 
body ; he began to breathe again ; then he sat up and 
began to speak. 

And Jesus gave him to his mother. 

Oh, happy mother! What must she have felt 
when she saw her dear son restored to life again ? 
Surely she must have loved the Lord who had been 
so loving and gracious to her. 

And what did the people feel when they saw this 
miracle, so much more wonderful than anything 
they had ever heard of before ? 

The Bible tells us that a great fear came on them 
all. Some of them felt sure that God had indeed 
come to them, in the person of His Son ; and others 
thought that He was a great prophet. And thej 
praised God. 


122 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE PALSIED MAN HEALED. 

ANCE more Jesus was home again — back in “His 
own city,” Capernaum; and the news of His 
arrival spread quickly over the little town. The 
people were very glad to have Him amongst them 
once more. He had done so much for them — He 
had healed so many, and had done so many mira- 
cles — that when they knew He had returned, they 
gathered out of every house, in crowds, to go and 
see and hear Him. 

I suppose Jesus must have been staying in Simon 
Peter’s house, as 
He had done be- 
fore; and such a 
great number of 
people came to Him 
there, that there 
was no room to re- 
ceive them. Even 
the doorway was 
blocked up with 
eager faces. 

And J esus taught 
them out of the 
Scriptures, preaching “the word ” to them. 

While they were there, listening very attentively. 



THE FA LSI El) MAN HEALED . 


123 


four men came up the street carrying a sort of 
couch, or bed, made of mats, or a piece of carpet, 
and on this little bed was a poor sick man. He was 
sick of the palsy, and very ill ; he had lost the use 
of his limbs, and was quite helpless, no; able to do 
anything for himself. So his friends were bringing 
him to Jesus to be made well. 

They tried to get in at the door of the room where 
Jesus was ; but it was so crowded with people, they 
found it impossible to push their way through. 

What were they to do ? The poor sick man wished 
to see the Saviour so much; for though he wanted 
to be made well, he wanted a great deal more to 
have his sins forgiven ; and he believed that Jesus 
was the Son of God, and that He could forgive all 
that he had done wrong. 

At last his friends thought of a way by which he 
might reach Jesus. But before I tell you what they 
did, 1 must explain to you something about the 
house. 

In that country where Jesus was, the houses are 
not made with sloping roofs, as they are with us. 
The houses are low, and the roofs are quite flat, so 
that people may walk about on them ; and the way 
up to the roof is by a staircase outside the house. 

Now I will tell you what the four men did. They 
carried their sick friend up this outside staircase, on 
to the roof. Then they made a hole in the roof, by 
taking up some of the tiles ; and when they had 


124 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


made it large enough, they let down the little bed, 
with the sick man on it, just in the very place where 
Jesus was. 

The Lord was pleased with what they had done. 
He saw that they believed in His power and love — 
that they had faith in Him — and this made Him 
glad ; for without faith it is impossible to please God. 

Jesus knew that the poor sick man was caring 
more for the healing of his soul than of his body ; 
and therefore He gave him first the blessing he was 
so greatly longing for. He spoke to him very ten- 
derly, and called him “ son.” 

44 Son, be of good cheer — be happy,” He said ; 
“ your sins are forgiven.” 

All the people wondered greatly to hear Him 
speak like this. They quite expected to see Him 
make the sick man well, for they had often known 
Him to heal those who were ill ; but they had never 
heard Him speak in this way before, and some 
among them were very angrv. 

“ Why does this man speak like this ? * they 
thought to themselves; “ it is only God who can for- 
give sins.” 

Jesus knew what they were thinking about; He 
could read their hearts, and so He said to them, — 

“ Why are you angry ? Which is the easier to 
say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up and 
walk? But that you may know that the Son of 
Man has power to forgive sins,” (then He turned to 


THE PALSIED MAX HEALED . 


125 


the sick man, and said), “I say co you Arise, take 
up your bed, and go away to your house.” 

And that minute the poor sick man was made 
well ! He got up at once, rolled up the mat on 
which he had been lying, and put it under his arm ; 
and then, as the people made way for him to pass 
out, he went away before them all, quite well and 
strong, and praising God for His goodness. 

If the people were surprised before, they were 
much more astonished now. 

They seemed at last to understand a little that 
Jesus really was God, and this made them afraid. 
But they praised God too ; and as they were talking 
about it amongst themselves, they said, — 

“ We have seen strange things to-day; we have 
never seen anything like this before.” 



RUINS OF CHORAZIN. 


126 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

MORE MIRACLES OF HEALING. 

TT was just about this time — when Jesus was doing 
all the wonderful things of which I have been 
telling you — that He chose another disicple to be 
always with Him, and to be His friend. His name 
was Matthew. 

Jesus saw Him one day as he was sitting at his 
usual business — collecting money for the king; and 
He said to him, “ Follow Me.” 

Now Matthew, besides getting money for the king, 
was also getting a great deal of money for himself; 
so do you think it was likely that he would leave 
his riches for the sake of following a prophet as poor 
as Jesus was ? 

I think he must have learned to know and love 
the Lord Jesus during all that time he had been at 
Capernaum; for when the Saviour called him, he 
got up at once, left all his riches and his money- 
making, and followed Him. 

Matthew was so thankful and happy at Jesus 
having chosen him to be a disciple that he made a 
great feast in his house, and invited his new Master 
to it, and all his own friends. 

And who were his friends? Were they some of 
the good and respectable people of the town ? 


MORE MIRACLES OF HEALING. 


127 


No ; the friends of Matthew were sinners ; people 
who were not respectable ; who had not good char- 
acters, and who had led bad and naughty lives. 
Matthew himself had been like these people once; 
but he was changed now, for God had put His Holy 
Spirit in his heart. Soon Matthew would have other 
Friends — those who loved and served his Master— 
but as yet these were all the friends he had. 

Would Jesus, however, sit down to table with 
sinners like these ? 

Yes ; He would, and He did. It was a strange 
company at that feast! the Holy Jesus and His 
faithful disciples, sitting down with wicked men and 
sinful women. 

When the proud Pharisees saw it, they were very 
much displeased. They would not eat and drink 
with such people; they thought themselves much too 
holy and good. So they complained about it to His 
disciples. 

“ Why does your Master eat with wicked people 
like these ?” they asked. 

Jesus heard what they said, and He gave them 
this answer, — 

“ People only want a doctor when they are ill ; 
and sinners only want a Saviour when they are 
sorry for their sins. I am come to speak to sinners, 
and to make them sorry for their naughtiness.” 

The feast was scarcely ended, and Jesus was still 
teaching them as they sat round the table, when one 


128 


TALKS to CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


of the rulers of the synagogue came in, with great 
haste. 

His name was Jairus; and he was in such grief! 
There, before all the publicans and sinners, he threw 
himself down at the feet of Jesus, and said,— 

“ My little daughter is lying at the point of death 
— she is almost dead — but come and lay your hands 
upon her, and she shall live.” 

Jesus got up at once to go with the poor father; 
and His disciples followed Him, and so did a great 
number of people. As He went along, still more 
people came crowding round Him ; for they knew 
that He was going to the ruler’s house, to make his 
little girl — his only daughter — well. 

Amongst the crowd there was a poor sick woman 
who had been ill a great number of years. She had 
gone to a great many different doctors, and they 
had all tried to cure her ; but she had got no better ; 
indeed, she had become more ill. And now she had 
spent all her money, and did not know what to do. 

As she saw Jesus passing along that day, a sud- 
den thought came into her mind. She said to her- 
self, — 

“ I will try and touch Him ; for I know that if I 
can only just touch the hem of His garment, 1 shall 
be well.” 

It was not an easy thing for her to touch the 
Lord Jesus, because of the great crowd that was 
round Him ; and, besides, she was so weak and ill. 



9 RAISING THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS. (129) 





130 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


But she did so long to get to Him, that she triced 
hard to force her way through. At last she suc- 
ceeded. She got behind Him, put out her hand, just 
touched the Master’s robe — at that moment she was 
cured. 

Though her touch was so gentle, Jesus felt it. He 
looked round and said, — 

“ Who touched My clothes ?” 

Peter answered a little impatiently, “ Master, you 
see how all the people are pressing against you, so 
why do you ask if any one has touched you ?” 

But Jesus knew that it was the hand of faith that 
had touched Him — that some one who believed in 
Him had got a blessing from Him — so He replied. 

“ Somebody has touched Me.” 

Then the Lord looked round at the people’s faces, 
to find out who it was who had done this thing. 

And now the poor woman, knowing that she could 
not be hid, came frightened and trembling, and fell 
down at Jesus’ feet, and told Him all the truth. She 
told Him how ill she had been, and how no one 
could make her better; how she had struggled to 
get through the crowd just to touch Him, and how, 
directly she had done so, she was made perfectly 
well. 

When He had listened to her story, the gentle 
Saviour spoke very tenderly to her. 

“ Daughter,” he said, “ be of good cheer. It was 
your faith in Me that made you well. Go in peace.” 


MORE MIRACLES OF HEALING. 


131 


How happy she was as she returned to her own 
house, feeling so well and strong. For twelve years 
she had been ill. Was not that a long time to be so 
suffering ? 

But oh ! how poor Jairus must have been longing, 
all this time, for Jesus to be with his sick child. And 
now they all move on again. But just at this mo- 
ment a messenger came to the ruler to say, — 

“Your daughter is dead; don’t worry the Master 
to come now.” 

Jesus heard these words ; and at once He tried to 
comfort the poor father by saying, — 

“ Do not be afraid ; only believe.” 

So they went to the house ; and Jesus would not 
let any one follow Him in, except Peter, and Janies, 
and John. 

I told you, that when any one died in that coun- 
try, there was always a great noise of crying and 
lamenting; and so it was when Jesus entered the 
ruler’s house. People were tearing their hair and 
beating their breasts, and weeping out loud to show 
their sorrow. 

Jesus said to them, “ Why do you make this noise, 
and weep ? the little girl is not dead, she is only 
sleeping.” 

He said she was asleep, because He was going to 
bring her to life again so quickly. But when the 
mourners heard Him say this, they mocked and 
laughed at Him. 


13 ^ TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


After this, Jesus would not let them stay in the 
house. He put them all out ; for they were not the 
real mourners — they were paid to make this show of 
grief. 

Then Jesus took the father and mother of the 
little girl, and His three disciples, and they all went 
quietly and solemnly into the room where the dead 
child was. 

Jesus went up to the little bed on which she was 
lying ; He took the small cold hand in His own, and 
said, — 

“ Little maid, get up.” 

And her spirit came into her again and she got up 
and walked. 

Her parents were greatly astonished ; they seemed 
as if they scarcely could believe it was true. And 
while they were looking in amazement, Jesus told 
them to give her something to eat. 

He also desired them not to talk about the won- 
derful miracle He had just done. 

The little girl was just twelve years old : old 
enough to understand how good the Lord Jesus had 
been in giving her back to the parents who loved 
her so dearly. And I think she must have loved the 
Saviour after that; and must always have tried to 
do what would please Him. 


2 HE CRIPPLE AT BETHESDA. 


133 


CHAPTER XXV. 

THE CRIPPLE AT BETHESDA. 

ANCE, again, there was a feast of the Jews, and 
^ Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

Do you remember what He had done when last 
He was in that city ? how He had turned out of the 
Temple all those who were dishonoring God by buy- 
ing and selling there ? And do you also remember 
how angry the rulers were with Him? and how 
much they disliked Him? 

That was just one year ago; and now He was 
come back again. 

There was at Jerusalem, a very wonderful pool 
of water called Bethesda — which means House of 
Mercy. Round this pool there were five porches, or 
door-ways ; and in these lay a great many sick peo- 
ple. Some of them were lame, some were blind, and 
some had the palsy. 

What were they there for ? I will tell you. 

The water in the pool was generally quiet and 
still ; but every now and then, there was a strange 
movement in it; it bubbled up, and gurgled, in a 
very mysterious way. Whenever this happened, 
there was a wonderful healing power in the water; 
so that the first person who went into it afterwards, 
was made well of whatever disease he had. 


134 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


No wonder that so many sick people were lying 
there ; they were waiting for that strange movement 
and bubbling, so that they might step quickly into 
the water and be made well. 

It was the Sabbath-day, and Jesus went to the Pool 
of Bethesda. And He saw there a poor man who 
had an illness for a great many years ; it began be- 
fore Jesus was born ; and he was a cripple. He had 



POOE OF BFTHESDA. 


not been a good man ; and this terrible illness was 
caused by some sin he had committed thirty-eight 
years before. 

As the Saviour looked at him, He felt great pity 
for him ; for He knew all about him — knew all about 
the sin and the many long years of suffering. 

“ Would you like to be made well ? ” Jesus asked 
him. 


THE CRIPPLE AT BETHESDA. 


135 


The sick man answered, “ Sir, I have no one to 
put me into the pool when the water is troubled : 
but while I am trying to get dowi:, some one else 
steps in before me.” 

I dare say he thought that the stranger who 
looked so kindly and so pityingly at him, would help 
him to get down into the water, when next it should 
be troubled. But instead of that, what did Jesus 
say to him ? 

Still looking at the poor cripple, who had not 
been able to walk for such a number of years, He 
said, — 

“ Rise, take up your bed, and walk.” 

What a wonderful power there was in the voice of 
Jesus ! As soon as He had spoken, strength and 
health came into the sick man’s diseased and feeble 
body. He got up at once, and walked away, carry- 
ing in his arms the mat, or bed, on which he had 
been lying. 

He was still walking on, when some of the rulers 
met him ; and they spoke to him angrily. 

“ It is the Sabbath day,” they said ; “ it is not 
right of you to carry your bed.” 

The man who had been made well answered, “ He 
that healed me, He told me to take up my bed, and 
walk.” 

Then they asked him, “ Who was it that told you 
to do such a wrong thing as to take up your bed, and 
walk ?” 


136 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


But this was a question the man could not 
answer ; for he did not know who it was, as Jesus 
had gone away from the pool directly He had made 
the sick man well. 

After this Jesus saw him in the temple. I sup- 
pose he had gone there to thank God for His good- 
ness to Him. But the Lord saw' that he had need 
of warning, and so He went to speak to him. 

“ See, you are made well : do not sin any more, 
for fear a worse thing should happen to you.’’ 

The man now knew who it was that had saved 
him from a life of misery, and had given him his 
health again. 

Did he feel grateful to Him ? I think his heart 
must have been very hard and very bad ; for though 
he knew how angry the Jewush rulers were, at — 
what they called — the breaking of the Sabbath, yet 
he went straight from the temple, to tell them that 
it was Jesus who had made him well ! 

You remember, I told you that the Jews kept the 
Sabbath very strictly. They thought it very wicked 
for any one to carry even a little parcel on that day 
and to carry a bed, they considered a great sin 
They even thought it wrong for any sick person to 
go to a doctor to be cured on God’s holy day. 

As soon, then, as they knew that it was Jesus 
who had healed the cripple, and had afterwards told 
him to carry his bed, they were exceedingly angry. 
They disliked Him before, — but they hated Him 


THE CRIPPLE A T BETHESDA. 


137 


now ; and from this time began to think how they 
might find an opportunity to kill Him. 

Is it not wonderful, and sad, that people could 
have been so wicked and so cruel ? 

The chief priests spoke to Jesus, and accused Him 
of Sabbath-breaking, and of not honoring God’s day. 

But Jesus told them that God was His Father ; 
and that it was God Himself who had helped Him 
to do all these miracles. 

This made them still more angry; and made 
them now quite determined that they would kill 
Him one day, because He said that God was His 
Father, and so made Himself equal with God. 

Jesus went on to speak to them solemnly. He 
said, “My Father loves me; and has given Me 
power, even to raise the dead to life again ; that all 
men should honour Me, even as they honour My 
Father. I do not seek My own will; it is My 
Father’s will, I always do. But I know you, that 
you have not the love of God in you.” 

Yes, that was the secret of the Jews’ hatred of 
Jesus. They were very careful to obey God in cer- 
tain things; but they did not love Him. Their 
hearts were not right with Him. They thought 
themselves holy ; and yet they had murder in their 
hearts. 

Let us always pray God to make our hearts 
clean; and to make us love Him better every day, 
for His dear Son’s sake. 


138 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE PHARISEE AND THE SINNER. 

r PHE life of Jesus was no longer safe in Jerusalem. 

The chief priests and rulers hated Him bitterly, 
and were so anxious to kill Him, that Jesus deter- 
mined to return to Galilee for another year ; and to 
go on as He had done, teaching, preaching, healing 
and blessing wherever He went. 

Yet He would go back to the Holy City again ; 
and later, when it should be His Fathers time, He 
would die there ! He knew this quite well. But 
His work of mercy was not done yet; and so He re- 
turned to Capernaum. 

But it grieved J esus to the heart, that even in the 
cities round the beautiful Lake of Gennesareth, 
where most of His mighty works were done, the 
people were unbelieving and unrepentant. Though 
they saw Him do things that only God could do, 
they would not believe in Him; and though they 
listened to his teaching (as no man could teach 
them), yet they were not sorry for their sins. 

But our blessed Lord rejoiced in spirit over the 
little band of faithful followers, who believed in, 
and loved Him ; and He praised God because He 
had put His Holy Spirit in their hearts. 

He said, “ I thank you, 0 Father, Lord of Heaven, 


THE PHARISEE AND THE SINNER. 


m 


and earth, because though you have hidden these 
things from those who are proud, and think them- 



SEA OF GAULEE. 


selves wise, yet you have shown them to those who 
are simple and humble. Even so, Father : for so it 
seemed good in your sight.” 


140 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then Jesus spoke such loving, tender words, to all 
those who are troubled, and sorry for sin. 

“ Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy 
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke 
upon you, and learn of Me ; for I am meek and 
lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your 
souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is 
light.’’ 

One of the Pharisees at Capernaum, invited Jesus 
to dine with him. 

Why did he ask Jesus? He did not love Him; 
but he had heard of all the wonderful things He 
had done, and he wanted to see Him, and to hear 
Him talk. 

The proud Pharisee had invited a great many 
other people too, to his dinner ; and as they came 
into the room, Simon — that was the Pharisee’s name 
— kissed them and spoke pleasantly to them ; and 
servants came and washed their feet, and put oil on 
their heads, for this was always the custom in that 
country. 

Then Jesus came into the room. And do you not 
think the Pharisee would do all he could to show 
special honour to his holy guest ? because, though 
he did not love Jesus, yet he knew that He Was a 
great prophet. 

But no ; for the blessed Saviour there was no kiss, 
no washing of the feet, no oil. Simon thought it 
was quite honour enough to ask Him to the house ; 



THE SINFUG WOMAN FORGIVEN. (141) 



142 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


and so lie showed Him none of the kindnesses that 
the other guests received. 

At last they were all assembled, and the feast 
began. The people did not sit on chairs, as we do, 
but they lay on couches round the table. 

Presently a woman, who had led a very sinful 
life, came into the room. She was well known in 
the city as being a wicked woman ; but now she was 
sorry for her naughtiness, and she wanted so much 
to be better. 

She knew that Jesus had gone to dine in the 
Pharisee’s house, and so she followed Him there. 
Perhaps she had heard His loving words, “ Come 
unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest.” She felt her sins to be a 
heavy burden, and she believed that He could give 
her the rest — the pardon and peace — He had 
promised. 

And now she came behind Him weeping — crying 
for her naughtiness — and her tears fell fast on the 
Saviour’s feet. With her long hair she wiped His 
feet, and then she kissed them, and put some sweet 
ointment on them, which she had brought with her 
in a box. 

The Pharisee saw it all, and was displeased. He 
would never have allowed such a sinner to touch 
him , and he wondered that Jesus permitted it; but 
then he thought, perhaps Jesus did not know who 
she was. 


THE PHARISEE AND THE SINNER. 


143 


He said to himself, “ If this man were a prophet, 
He would have known about this woman’s naughty 
life.” 

Did Jesus know? Yes, far better than Simon 
himself could do. And He knew, too, how deeply 
she sorrowed for all she had done wrong; how she 
hated her evil ways, and how firmly resolved she 

was to try and lead for 
the future, a pure and 
blameless life. 

Jesus not only knew 
about the woman, but 
He also knew exactly 
what the Pharisee was 
thinking about; so He 
said to him, — 

“ Simon, I have some- 
thing to say to you.” 

The Pharisee replied, 
u Master, say on.” 
pharisee and publican at prayer. Jesus said, 66 There 

were two men who owed another man some money. 
One of them only owed him a small sum but the 
other owed him a very great deal of money. How- 
ever, neither of them could pay anything at all, and 
so the man freely forgave them both. Now, which 
of these two men would love him most ?” 

Simon answered, fc * 1 suppose he to whom he for- 
gave most.” 



144 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Jesus said, “ You have rightly judged.” 

Then Jesus turned to the weeping, penitent 
woman, and said to Simon, “ Do you see this 
woman ? I came into your house, and you gave Me 
no water for my feet; but she has washed My feet 
with tears, and wiped them with her hair. You gave 
Me no kiss ; but this woman has never ceased to kiss 
My feet ever since I came in. You put no oil upon 
My head; but this woman has anointed My feet 
with ointment. Wherefore I say unto you, her sins 
— her many sins — are forgiven ; and that is why she 
loves so much ; but those who have only been for- 
given a little, the same love little.” 

What must Simon have felt when he heard these 
words ? And what must the poor woman have felt 
when Jesus turned to her again, and said, — 

“ Your sins are forgiven.” 

Ah ! had not the blessed Saviour kept His 
promise ? She had gone to Him troubled and heavy 
laden, and He had indeed given her rest. 

But the people who sat round the table began to 
say in their hearts, “ Who is this that forgives sins 
also?” 

Once more Jesus spoke to the woman, and sent 
her away with kind words, — 

“ Your faith has saved you ; go in peace.” 


THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND. 145 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND. 

T CAN scarcely make you understand how terri- 
ble a burden the Sabbath had become, under the 
teaching of the Jewish rabbis. 

God had ordained that one day in seven should 
be kept holy, and He intended it as a rest and a 
blessing to both body and soul. But the Pharisees 
had made a great many hard rules about it, which 
God had never made; and Jesus wanted to teach 
them what it was that His Father really required. 

But the Pharisees did not wish to be taught, and 
nothing made them so angry with our blessed Lord 
as to see that He did not approve of their foolish, 
wearisome, burdensome laws. 

I will tell you what a few of these laws were. 

A tailor must not have a needle about him on the 
Sabbath. 

Shoes with nails in them must not be worn on the 
Sabbath. 

A flea must not be killed on the Sabbath. 

No fire must be lit, no food cooked, no sick 
healed, or comforted, on the Sabbath. 

Was this what God meant, when He said that the 
Sabbath should be a delight, and holy to the Lord ? 
Surely not. 
io 


14(5 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


So Jesus wanted to take off some of this terrible 
burden which was pressing so heavily on the poor. 
For the Pharisees were very hard upon those who 
did not knew or could not remember all their many 
rules. 

One Sabbath day Jesus went through the corn- 
fields. And as His disciples followed Him, they 
began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat, for they 
were very hungry. 

The Pharisees, who were always now on the look- 
out for something to find fault about, at once said to 
J esus, — 

“ See, why do your disciples do that which is not 
lawful to do on the Sabbath day ? ” 

Jesus patiently answered their angry question and 
fault-finding. He told them that His disciples were 
not doing wrong in satisfying their hunger on the 
Sabbath ; and that it was not wrong to do things on 
hat day that were necessary to be done. 

“ The Sabbath was made for man,” the Saviour 
said ; “ made to be a blessing and a help to him ; 
and the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.” 

Then Jesus went on, and entered into one of their 
synagogues, and taught. And there was a man there 
who had a withered hand — he could not use it at 
all — and the proud Pharisees watched Jesus, to see 
if He would heal the poor man’s hand, for they 
wanted to accuse Him. 

Yes, Jesus would do His work of love and mercy 


THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND. 


147 


in spite of the hardness of their hearts and their 
angry looks. 

So He said to the man. “ Rise up, and stand forth 
in the midst.” 

And the man got np and stood in the middle oi 
them all.. 

Then J esus turned to the Pharisees, and said, u I 
will ask you one question : Is it lawful to do good 
on the Sabbath days, or to do evil ? to save life, or 
to kill?” 

But they were silent. They did not know how to 
answer Him. 

And when He had looked round on them with 
anger, being grieved that their hearts were so hard, 
He said to the man, “ Stretch out your hand.” 

And he stretched it out, and his hand was made 
perfectly well, just like the other. 

The Pharisees, when they saw it, were filled with 
madness. They were not a bit glad that the poor 
man had the use of his hand again. They thought 
nothing of the wonderful miracle Jesus had just 
done. They did not really care at all for God’s 
honour. They were only furious because Jesus had 
not followed their own foolish rules. 

So now the Pharisees at Capernaum hated Jesus 
just as much as the Pharisees at Jerusalem had 
done ; and as soon as they went out of the syna- 
gogue they began to consult together how they 
might kill Him. 


148 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


But when Jesus knew it, He went away from 
them for a little while, till some of their angry feel- 
ings should pass away. He knew that He must be 
killed at last ; but the time was not come yet. 

And the great multitudes followed Him ; and He 
healed them all. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE APOSTLES. 

TT came to pass in those days, that Jesus went up 
into a mountain to pray ; and He remained all 
night in prayer to God. 

Just think of this, dear children ; all night long 
He was praying to His Father in heaven ! Must 
He not have loved His Father very much ? and 
must He not have found it His sweetest occupa- 
tion, and His greatest rest , to be speaking to Him ? 

This is what we should feel when we kneel in 
prayer to our Father in heaven ; but how often we 
find it a weariness ! And yet He loves us, in spite 
of all our coldness ; and He cares for us more than 
we can ever understand, in spite of all our short- 
comings. Let us pray that we may love Him more. 

After this night of prayer, as soon as it was day, 
Jesus called to Him His disciples. And a great 
many came to Him ; for there were many who loved 


JESUS CHOUSES THE TWELVE APOSTLES. 149 

and followed Him. They listened to His words, and 
tried to learn the lessons of wisdom, and gentleness, 
and peace, He taught them ; and so they were His 
disciples. 

And now from this little band of faithful follow- 
ers Jesus chose twelve, who were to be something 
more than disciples ; they were to be apostles too. 
The word apostle means, one sent — a messenger — 
and Jesus was going to send them forth as mission- 
aries, to give His message to sinners, and to preach 
as He had done. 

The names of the twelve Apostles are these : — 
Simon Peter and Andrew; James and John; Philip 
and Bartholomew ; Matthew and Thomas ; another 
James, and another Simon; and Judas the brother 
of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the 
traitor. 

By two and two, Jesus would in a short time send 
the Apostles away. And He gave them power over 
all devils and evil spirits, and to cure diseases. And 
Jesus commanded them, saying, — 

“As you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of 
heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the 
lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Give freely to 
others the blessings I have given to you so freely.” 

Then Jesus told them not to expect that they 
would always be well received. As people had hated 
and persecuted the Master, they would be sure to 
hate and persecute His servants. 


150 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUs. 


“ But do not be afraid of those who can only kill 
your body,” Jesus said ; “fear only Him who is able 
to destroy both soul and body in hell. Look at the 
little sparrows; your Father cares for them. So do 
not be afraid, for you are of more value than many 
sparrows. And even the hairs of your head are 
all numbered.” 

But the Apostles were not to go away immedi- 
ately. They were to remain a little while with J esus 
first, that their Master might train them yet more 
perfectly for the work He intended them to do, 
Seven of them, as you know, had already been with 
Him, and kept closely to Him ; but now all of the 
twelve were to do so. 

The same day that Jesus had chosen the twelve 
Apostles, a man was brought to Him who had a 
devil, and who was also blind and dumb. When 
Jesus saw him, He had pity on the poor man who 
was so greatly afflicted, and He cast out the devil, 
and healed the man, so that he could both see and 
speak. 

All the people were amazed — that means, greatly 
astonished — and some of them said, “ Is not this the 
Messiah ? ” 

But when the Scribes and Pharisees heard of it, 
they said, “ This fellow casts out devils by Satan’s 
help ; He has Himself an evil spirit in Him.” 

How could they dare to speak like this of the 
Holy Saviour? For though they did not believe 


JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE APOSTLES. 15 1 


Him to be the Son of God, they knew that He was 
a great Prophet. 

Jesus told them that He had cast out devils by 
the finger of God; and He warned them that 
they were in danger of being cast into hell, if they 
spoke evil of that Holy Spirit of God which was 
in Him; for unless the Holy Spirit should work 
in their own hard hearts, they could never enter 
heaven ! 

Such a multitude of people had been with Him all 
day, that He and His disciples had no time even so 
much as to eat bread. 

Now His mother and His brethren, when they 
heard of all this — and when they knew, too, what 
the Scribes and the Pharisees were saying of Him— 
were greatly distressed. They said, — 

“ He must be out of His mind to act like this.” 

And they went out to try and take Him away, 
and to keep Him quiet, and out of danger. 

I think Mary’s faith in Jesus must have become 
very weak ! If she had still believed truly that He 
was the Son of God, could she ever have thought 
He was mad — beside Himself — or that He needed 
her care and protection ? 

So His mother and His brethren came to the 
house where Jesus was. But there was such a 
crowd round Him, and they could not get in. Then 
they sent some one to call Him out to them. 

And the multitude sat round about Him; and 


152 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

some one said to Him ; Ci Your mother and your 
brethren are outside, waiting to speak to you.” 

And He said to the man that told Him, “ Who is 
my mother ? and who are my brethren ? ” 

Then Jesus looked round on those who sat about 
Him, and He stretched forth His hand towards His 
disciples and said, — 

“ Behold my mother and my brethren ! For who- 
soever shall do the will of my Father which is in 
heaven, the same is my brother, and my sister, and 
mother.” 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

A PARABLE, AND THE STORM AT SEA. 

II7HAT busy days those were which Jesus spent 
* " on earth ! How much He did for others, and 
how little rest He gave Himself. 

I have told you something of what He did the day 
after that long night of prayer to God ; how He 
called together all His disciples, and chose from 
among them the twelve ; how he healed the man 
who was blind and dumb, and had a devil ; how He 
went into a house and taught ; how the Scribes and 
Pharisees came and insulted Him there ; and how 
His mother and His brethren came to try and take 
Him away, because they thought He was mad to go 


A PARABLE , , AND TI1E STORM AT SEA. \rd 

on in this way, and to make the Pharisees so angry 
with him. 

But the day was not nearly over, yet ; and the 
Saviour’s work was not ended. After He had been 
teaching the people in the house, He went out and 
sat down by the seaside. 

The Lake of Gennesareth was sometimes called 
the Sea of Galilee ; and it was down on the shore of 
this beautiful lake that Jesus went now. As soon as 
the people saw Him they began to collect in great 
numbers again ; and such crowds came round Him, 
that the Saviour got into a boat, and spoke to them 
from there, while the whole multitude stood on the 
shore. 

And now Jesus began to teach them in quite a 
different way to what He had done before. He told 
them little stories, which had a meaning in them ; 
but the meaning was often difficult to find out. This 
is called teaching by parables. 

And so, on this day, while the people all stood at 
the edge of the water, waiting to hear His words, 
Jesus spoke to them by a parable. He said, — 

“ A man went to sow his seed ; and as he sowed, 
some of the seed fell out on the pathway ; and it was 
trodden on, and the birds came and ate it. 

“And some fell on a rock; and as soon as it 
began to grow, it withered and died, because there 
was not enough earth. 

“ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns 


154 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


grew up so strong and quickly, that they spoilt the 
good seed, by preventing the air and the sun getting 
to it ; so it never bore any fruit. 

“ And some fell on good ground, and sprang up, 
and bore a great quantity of fruit.” 

This was the parable. And when the disciples 
were alone with Jesus again, they asked Him, — 

“ Why do you speak to the people in parables ?” 

“ Because they do 
not really care for me 
or my words ; and so 
it is useless to tell 
them secrets about 
heavenly things. But 
with you — my disci- 
ples — it is different ; 
and I will explain 
everything to you 
which you do not un- 
derstand.” THE SOWiiR - 

Then the disciples asked Him, saying, — “What is 
the meaning of this parable?” 

Jesus said, “ The seed is the word of God ; and 
the place where it is sown is in people’s hearts. 
Those by the wayside, are people with hard, cold 
hearts. They have heard God’s message to them, 
but they do not care for it ; and Satan comes, and 
makes them forget all about it. 

“ Those on the rock, are people who like, very 



A PARABLE, AND THE STORM AT SEA. 


155 


much to hear about God. But they do not take any 
trouble to do what He says, and after a little while 
they cease to care for Him. 

“ Those amongst the thorns, are people who have 
heard the word, and think it very good. But they 
care so much more for riches and pleasures, than for 
heavenly things, — or else they are so very busy, or 
so much worried, — they have no time to give to God. 

“ But those on the good ground, are people, whose 
hearts are honest and true. They love God ; they 
love to hear His word; they seek to know His will; 
and all their lives they try to walk hi His ways.” 

Jesus spoke more parables to the people that day; 
and always, when they were alone, He explained 
everything to His disciples. 

At last this long day had come to an end. It 
was evening, and J esus said to His disciples, — 

“ Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” 

The Saviour was very tired now. He had been 
going about, teaching and preaching, ever since the 
early morning ; and He wanted to get some rest and 
quiet, away from all the crowds that were so con- 
tinually following on His footsteps. 

So the disciples quickly got their boat ready ; and, 
just as He was, without any preparation or waiting 
to take food, He took His place in it ; and the little 
vessel put out from shore. 

They had not sailed far, when the wearied 
Saviour fell fast asleep. He had gone to the hinder 



SERMON HV THE SEA. (15(*>) 









A PARABLE , AND THE STORM AT SEA . 157 

part of the boat ; and there, with His head resting 
on a pillow, He had lain down quite tired out. 

The sea was smooth and calm when they first 
started ; but before long a change came on. The 
wind began to blow and howl, and the waves began 
to rise and toss themselves about. The disciples 
tried hard to get across to the other side of the lake, 
before the storm should get worse ; but the wind got 
more fierce and stormy, and the waves dashed up 
against the boat, and all over the boat, and they 
were dreadfully frightened 

And Jesus — where was He ? Still peacefully sleep- 
ing ; He was so very tired. Though the foam and 
spray dashed over Him ; though the wind roared, 
and the boat was tossed up and down — sometimes 
being almost buried under the waves — yet it never 
woke Him. 

It was a terrible tempest. And when at last the 
boat was nearly full of water, and in danger of 
sinking to the bottom, the disciples, in wild alarm, 
awoke the sleeping Saviour. 

“ Master, Master, save us ! we shall die !” 

Jesus rose at once, at the sound of their terrified 
cry. He was not frightened at the hurricane ; and 
He wondered that His disciples, who had been so 
much with Him, should fear when He was with 
them. 

“ Why are you so much afraid ? How is it you 
have no faith ? ” He gently said to them. 


158 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then He stood up, in that rocking, trembling, 
half-filled boat, and He rebuked the wind, and said 
to the sea, — 

“ Peace, be still ! ” 

And immediately the wind ceased, the waves 
were quiet, and there was a great calm. 

But the disciples feared exceedingly, and said one 
to another : — “ What manner of man is this, that 
even the wind and the sea obey Him ? ” 

That night upon the Sea of Galilee showed the 
disciples so plainly that their Lord was both God 
and man. 

The great weariness and fatigue He felt proved 
that He was man. 

His power over the wind and sea proved that He 
was God. 


CHAPTER XXX. 

THE DEMONIAC HEADED. 

TT was the bright early morning, after that wild, 
A stormy night, when Jesus had stilled the wind 
and the sea by a word. The little vessel had passed 
safely over to the other side of the lake, into the 
country of the Gergesenes, and Jesus and His disci- 
ples had gone on shore. 

But who was this that came rushing down upon 


THE DEMONIAC HEALED. 


159 


them, directly they had landed ? Could this be a 

man? 

“ Yes ; a man “ possessed with a devil.” It was a 
sad sight. 

He was so wild and fierce that every one was 
afraid of him ; and people did not dare to pass by 
that way. He lived in some of the cavern tombs — 
holes in the rocks where people had been buried 
many years before — and he never wore any clothes. 

Poor wretched man ! there was no way of taking 
care of him ; no one could show him any kindness ; 
and there he lived all alone, tormented by the evil 
spirit that was in him. And always day and night, 
he was in the mountains and in the tombs ; crying, 
and cutting himself with stones. 

For a long time he had been in this miserable 
state ; and there was no hope of his ever being better. 

Often the people who lived in the city near, had 
caught him, and bound him with chains and fetters. 
But he was so strong, that he had always broken 
the fetters and chains in pieces, and had got away 
from his captors again. 

How dreadful to think of any one being in that 
state ! 

I dare say he had been watching the boat coming 
nearer and nearer to the shore, that morning ; and 
now, the moment that Jesus had put His foot on 
shore, the poor naked demoniac ran headlong down 
the hill to meet Him. 


160 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


And what did he do when he got to Jesus? He 
fell down and worshipped Him. W as it not 
strange ? 

Though this poor man had never seen the Saviour 
before, he knew quite well who He was. The devil 
that was in him, knew ; the devils know the Son of 
God, and they tremble before Him. 

When Jesus saw him, He said, “ Come out of the 
man, you unclean spirit.” 

But the man cried out with a loud voice, saying : 
“ What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the 
most high God ? In God’s name I implore you not 
to torment me.” 

Then the Lord questioned the man. He said, 
“ What is your name ? ” 

He answered, “ My name is Legion, lor we are 
many.” 

Legion means, a great number; and the man 
meant that many devils had entered into him. 

Now there was, a good way off — near the moun- 
tains — a great many swine, or pigs, feeding. And 
the devils begged Jesus very earnestly that He 
would not send them back to hell. They said, 

“ If you cast us out of the man, suffer us to go 
away into the herd of swine.” 

And Jesus said to them, “ Go.” 

So the evil spirits went out of the man, and 
entered into the swine ; and the whole herd ran 
violently down a steep place into the sea, and were 


TIIE DEMONIAC HEALED. 


161 


drowned. There were about two thousand of 
them. 

When the men who looked after the pigs saw 
what had happened, they were frightened. They 
ran away as quickly as they could, and told the 
wonderful news in the city and in the country : 
they told how the devils had gone out of the wild 
demoniac, into the swine ; and how the whole herd 
was drowned. 

A great many of the people came out of the city, 
when they had heard this strange story. They went 
to meet Jesus ; and when they came to Him, what 
did they see ? 

There was the man, of whom they had been so 
much afraid, a demoniac no longer ; he was sitting 
at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. 
And they were afraid. 

You would have thought the Gergesenes would 
have wished Jesus to remain with them, when they 
found He could do such a miracle as this ; but I sup- 
pose they were more vexed at the loss of the two 
thousand pigs, than pleased at the poor man being 
cured ; for they begged the Saviour to go away, and 
not stay with them any longer. 

So Jesus went back into the boat. And the man 
who had been possessed with the devil, prayed Him 
that he might remain with Him, and follow Him. 
But Jesus would not allow it. He said, — 

66 Go home to your friends, and tell them what 

ii 


162 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


great things the Lord has done for you, and how He 
has had compassion on you.” 

Then the man went away, and did the work 
Jesus had given him to do. He told all over that 
country, how good the Lord had been to him. 

And so Jesus and His disciples went back again 
across the lake. And the people on the other side 
received Him gladly; for they were all waiting 
for Him. 


CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 

TJOR a long time John the Baptist had been shut 
up in prison, by King Herod’s orders. And 
this was the reason that the king was angry with 
him. 

I must tell you, first, that Herod was a very 
wicked man. He was a son of that Herod who had 
murdered all the little babies in Bethlehem, just 
after Jesus was born ; and he was almost as bad and 
cruel a man as his father had been. 

Now Herod had done two things that were very 
displeasing to God : he had put away his own true 
wife; and he had married Herodias, his brother 
Philip’s wife. 

Well, at the time that John the Baptist was 


(163) RUINS OF EPHESUS. 



/ 






164 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


preaching in the wilderness, Herod heard of him. 
He heard how he was being followed by crowds ol 
people; and how he baptized all those who were 
sorry for their sins ; and the king wished to see this 
great prophet and teacher. 

So John was sent for to the palace. 

You remember I told you how he was accustomed 
to dress. He always wore a large rough mantle of 
camel’s hair, with a leathern belt round his waist ; 
and in these same garments he stood before King 
Herod, and his queen, Herodias. 

Down by the river Jordan the Baptist had never 
been afraid to speak to the soldiers, the publicans, 
and the Pharisees, and to tell them of their sins; 
and now, in the palace, he was not afraid to speak 
to Herod of his sin. 

As he stood before him, he boldly told him, “ It is 
not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 

This made Herod very angry ; and he gave orders 
that John the Baptist should be thrown into prison. 

But Herodias was more than angry ; she hated 
John now, and she wanted to have him killed ; but 
Herod was afraid to do this ; he knew that John 
was a holy man, and God’s messenger, and he would 
not let him be put to death. 

Yet that wicked queen would not give up the 
hope of getting her own way at last; she was 
always planning for it, and watching for an oppor- 
tunity of gaining her point. It was not enough for 


THE DEATH UT JOliy THE BA 1 "T1ST. 


165 


her that John was in a horrible prison — that he had 
been many months there — she would never rest sat- 
isfied as long as he was alive. 

At last the opportunity came that she had 
been looking for so long ; and it happened in this 
way. 

It was Herod’s birthday ; and he made a great 
supper to his lords, chief captains, and great men. 
Before the banquet was quite over, Herodias sent in 
her young daughter, Salome, who was very beauti- 
ful, to dance before the king ; and her dancing 
pleased him so much, and all the nobles who were 
sitting with him, that he said to the young girl, — 

“ Tell me what you would like me to give you ; 
whatever it is you shall have it.” 

And he made her a very solemn promise, “ What- 
ever you ask for, I will give it you, even to the half 
of my kingdom.” 

Then the girl ran to her mother, and told her 
what the king had said. “ What shall I ask for?” 
she inquired of her mother. 

And what do you think that wicked queen an- 
swered? this was the opportunity she had so long 
been waiting for, and she said at once, — 

“ Ask for the head of John the Baptist.” 

Was the young girl horrified at such a request? 
Not at all ; she was cruel, like her mother. So she 
went straight back to the king again in a great 
hurry, and asked, saying, — 


166 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


“I wish you to give me by-and-by, in a dish, the 
head of John the Baptist.” 

When the king heard this he was exceedingly 
sorry ; yet because he had promised her, and because 
he had made the promise before all his nobles, he 
would not refuse her. 

He was more afraid of what his courtiers would 
say if he broke his promise than of what God would 
think. He was more anxious to please this cruel 
girl, and her yet more cruel mother, than he was to 
please the God who made him. So he sent “ imme- 
diately” an executioner to the prison, to cut off the 
head of Christ’s faithful witness. 

And yet he was very sorry to do it — he knew he 
was very wicked to do it — he had often liked to lis- 
ten to John’s preaching (when he did not speak 
about that one sin which Herod would not give up), 
and he had done many things because of him ; but 
because of this foolish oath which he had made, he 
committed this awful sin. 

The king’s order was quickly obeyed ; and in a 
very little time the bleeding head of the great 
prophet was brought in on a large dish or tray, and 
given to the dancing girl, who took it, and carried it 
to her mother. 

A little time afterwards, when Herod heard of all 
the wonderful things that Jesus was doing, his guilty 
conscience made him think of the murdered prophet, 
and he said to his servants, — 


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167 


"It is John the Baptist, whom I beheaded ; he is 
risen from the dead, and that is why he is able to do 
all these miracles.” 

We may be sure that neither peace nor happiness 
ever came to Herod or his guilty wife after this. Sin 
always brings sorrow ; and so it was with them. 

You may imagine how grieved and distressed the 
disciples of John were when they heard that the 
king had killed their dear master. They went to 
the prison, then lovingly and sadly took up the 
headless body, and laid it reverently in a tomb. 

After this they went and told Jesus. Their hearts 
were sore and full of sadness, and they knew that 
He would sympathize with them — they knew He 
loved their master. 

Did Jesus grieve ? 

Yes ; for no heart was ever so loving or tender as 
His own. And as, after He had heard the sad story, 
He went into a desert place apart, we may be sure 
He mourned for the cruel death of His friend and 
forerunner. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 

FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND. 

rPHE twelve Apostles had been sent away, by two 
and two, on their mission of mercy. They 
had received their Lord’s orders to do as He had 


168 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


done — to preach the Word, to heal the sick, to cast 
out devils — and they had gone round Galilee preach- 
ing and working miracles. 

Now they had just returned from their first jour- 
ney ; and they told Jesus both what they had done 
and what they had taught. 

There were so many people with Jesus, and so 
many were coming and going, that they had no 
quiet time at all, and no leisure even to eat ; and 
Jesus, whose thoughtful care for His disciples was 
always so wonderful, said to them, — 

“Come into some quiet desert place and rest 
awhile.” He saw they were weary, and needed 
rest. 

So they got ready a boat very quickly, and went 
away as secretly as they could. But the people saw 
them going, and they ran fast out of the cities, and 
followed them. 

And so Jesus could not have the quiet time with 
His disciples that He wanted ; for when they got to 
that desert place across the lake, a great crowd had 
already begun to collect. Some of them had followed 
Jesus in boats across the water, but many more had 
gone a long way round, by the sea-coast. 

Was Jesus vexed and angry that the people fol- 
lowed Him so, and did not leave Him in peace ? 

Oh, no. When he saw the crowds that had come 
to Him, He was moved with compassion — that 
means, He felt a great pity for them, because they 


FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND. 3^9 

were like sheep that had no shepherd to take care of 
them. He was the Good Shepherd ; He cared for 
them, and He began to talk to them — to tell them 
many things about the kingdom of heaven, and He 
healed all those who were sick. 

The time passed on ; all day long they had been 



AN EASTERN SHEEPEOED, 

listening to Jesus, never thinking how late it was 
getting ; and now it was evening. The twelve dis- 
ciples thought the people ought not to remain any 
longer, so they said to Jesus, — 

“ Send the multitude away, that they may go into 
the towns and villages round about, and lodge for 
the night, and buy themselves food. For we are 



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COME UNTO ME 





FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND. 171 

here in a desert place ; it is very late, and they have 
nothing to eat.” 

but how surprised they were at Jesus’ answer ! 
He said, “ There is no need to send them away; you 
give them something to eat.” 

They looked at each other in astonishment ; what 
could their Master mean ? 

Philip said, “If we were to spend all the money 
we have, in buying bread, it would not be enough 
for all these many people.” For there were five 
thousand men, besides women and children. 

Jesus said, “How many loaves have you here? 
Go and see.” 

Then Andrew said, “ There is a lad here who has 
five barley loaves and two small fishes ; but what are 
they among so many ?” 

Jesus answered, “ Make the men sit down.” 

And now the disciples are busy going about 
amongst the people, and making them sit down, in a 
quiet, orderly way, upon the soft green grass. So 
they sat down in rows of fifty, for this was the way 
Jesus had told the disciples to arrange them. 

Then the Saviour took the five loaves and the two 
fishes, and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks 
and broke the bread, and gave it to the disciples to 
set before the multitude. In the same way He 
divided the fishes amongst them all. 

The food went on increasing in the Saviour’s 
hands ; and He went on breaking and dividing, and 


172 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS , 1 


giving it to the disciples, and they passed it on to 
the people, till at last they had all eaten, and were 
filled. Every one had had as much as he wanted. 

When they had quite finished, Jesus said to His 
disciples, “ Gather up the little bits that remain, that 
nothing may be wasted.” 

So they got some baskets, and put all the little 
scraps into it; and in this way they filled twelve 
baskets quite full of little pieces of bread. 

Was not this wonderful? There was actually 
more food after all the people had eaten, than there 
was before they had begun to eat. 

Then all those men, when they had seen the 
miracle that Jesus did, said, “ This is of a truth that 
prophet, the Messiah, that should come into the 
world.” 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 

JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA. 

rpHE five thousand men were greatly excited when 
they rose up from that supper which had been 
so wonderfully provided for them. 

They began to talk together of all Jesus had done 
for them that day — how He had taught them, 
healed them, and fed them — and they thought they 
would like to have Him for their king. How much 


JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA. 


173 


better (they thought) that He should rule over them, 
instead of that cruel Herod whom they hated. 

Jesus knew all that they were thinking about, and, 
talking of. He knew that they were planning to 
take Him by force and make Him a king ; He saw 
too, that His own disciples were beginning to join in 
the excitement, and to share the feelings of the 
crowd ; so He was in haste to disperse them and 
send them home. 

First of all He sent the disciples away. They 
did not like to leave Him, for they thought if the 
time had indeed come for their dear Master to re- 
ceive a kingdom and a crown, they ought to be with 
Him. Jesus, therefore, had to compel them to go; 
He constrained them (for they went unwillingly) to 
go into their boat again, and cross over the lake 
towards Capernaum. 

Then He gently persuaded the multitude to 
return to their own homes. His voice calmed 
them ; and no doubt they left the more readily 
when they found that His disciples had already been 
sent away. 

Almost all had gone awa y at last; only a few 
remained behind, unwilling to leave. And then 
what did Jesus do? 

He turned away from that spot, and climbed up 
the steep side of a mountain that was near, that 
He might be all alone with God. It had been a 
weary day, and He was tired ; and He greatly 


174 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


longed for the blessed rest of communion with His 
Father. 

There He remained till the twilight passed away, 
and the dark night came on. It was a wild and 
stormy night ; but He liked being there, where no 
human eye could see Him, and where He could pour 
out His whole soul to God. Hour after hour passed, 
and still He remained there praying. 

But what were His disciples doing all this time ? 
They had got into their boat, as their Master bade 
them, and they were trying to cross over the water 
as He had commanded ; but a strong wind had 
risen up, blowing straight against them, and they 
had not made much progress. 

Their boat, too, was much tossed about on the 
waves, and they were working hard at the oars, toil- 
ing in rowing. But Jesus had not forgotten them ; 
at the hill- top He was watching them, and He would 
go and help them soon. 

It was the middle of the night, and Jesus, having 
ended His prayer, came down from the mountain, 
and walked to the edge of the lake. 

The waves came dashing up against His feet, and 
no boat was near. How was He to get to His disci- 
ples? 

The Saviour needed no boat to carry Him across ; 
for He is God as well as man, and He could walk on 
the water as easily as on dry land. 

The disciples were still in their boat, struggling to 


JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA. 


175 


get it across to the opposite shore. They had only 
just got about half-way, when they saw dimly, 
through the darkness, a figure walking on the sea. 
Who could it be ? 

They were dreadfully frightened — much more 
frightened at the figure than they were at the howl- 
ing wind and tossing waves. They thought it was 
a spirit — a being from another world — and they cried 
out with fear. 

But quickly, with tender pity at their alarm, Jesus 
spoke : “ Be of good cheer ; it is I ; do not be 
afraid.” 

Oh, how glad they were to hear again that much- 
loved voice ! Peter, in his joy, could scarcely wait 
till Jesus came into the boat ; so he called out, — 

“ Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the 
water.” 

Jesus answered, “Come.” 

In a moment Peter climbed over the side of the 
vessel, and walked on the water to go to his dear 
Master. As long as he looked at Jesus he was in 
safety ; but in a little while he began to look round 
him — to look at the waves, how they were tossing 
themselves; to notice the wind, how stormy and 
strong it was — and then he got frightened. 

He began to sink, and in his terror he cried out, 
“ Lord, save me.” 

Immediately, quickly, Jesus put out his hand and 
caught him. Then He said to him gently, — 


176 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

« Oh, how little faith you have ! Why were you 
afraid ? ” 

Do you notice that all Peter’s courage, and the 
wonderful power of being able to walk on the water, 



PETER STARTS TO WAEK TO JESUS. 


were only got by looking at his Master ? And so, if 
we want courage to do some unpleasant duty, or to 
bear some pain or sorrow, we also must look to Jesus ! 
We must ask Him to give us His Spirit, and to give 


MANY DISCIPLES LEAVE JESUS. 


177 


us His help ; and then He will always give us the 
courage and the strength we need. 

The disciples were so glad to receive their Lord 
into the boat again. And now two more miracles 
followed. The wind ceased altogether and suddenly ; 
and instead of being in the midst of the sea, they 
found they were at the landing-place where they 
wished to be. 

Then those who were in the boat came and wor- 
shipped Jesus, saying, “ Of a truth you are the Son 
of God.” 


CHAPTER XXXIY. 

MANY DISCIPLES LEAVE JESUS. 

T TOLD you that when Jesus sent away the multi- 
tude, after He had worked that miracle of feeding 
the five thousand, some of the people still remained 
behind. 

They had seen that Jesus had not gone away with 
His disciples; they knew that no other boat was 
there by which He could have got away ; so when 
the morning came, they thought they were sure of 
finding Him. But when they had looked about for 
Him, great was their surprise to find He was no- 
where to be seen. 

What could have become of Him ? Where could 
He have gone ? 

12 


178 


TALKS TO CHILD HEN ABOUT JESUS. 


While they were waiting and wondering, some 
boats came from a city called Tiberias, and they 
were going to Capernaum. So the people who had 
remained on shore all night, got into the boats and 
went to Capernaum, still seeking for Jesus. 

Why were they looking so eagerly for Him? Was 
it because they loved Him, and liked to listen to His 
words? We shall soon see. 

The people joined the Saviour at last; He was in 
the Synagogue teaching. They wondered so much 
how He got there, that they could not help asking 
Him, — 

“ Master, when did you come here ? ” 

Jesus did not answer their question ; but what He 
said, showed them that He could read their hearts as 
easily as we can read an open book. 

Jesus said, “ You seek me, not because you saw 
the miracles, but because you did eat of the bread 
and were filled. Do not be so eager for the food for 
your bodies, but try more earnestly to get your souls 
fed — to get that everlasting life which I shall give 
you.” 

I think the people must have felt ashamed when 
they found that Jesus could see their most secret 
thoughts. They asked, “ What must we do that we 
may work the works of God ? ” 

Jesus answered, “ This is the work of God that 
you believe on me ; for God has sent me.” 

But, alas ! they did not really want to do God’s 


MANY DTSCfPLES LEAVE JESUS. 


179 


work. Their next question proved how hard and un- 
believing their hearts were. This is what they said, — 

“ What sign will you show us, that we may believe 
you ? What miracles will you do ? ” 

Surely Jesus had worked miracles enough to show 
them that He was the Son of God ! Surely, after 
having taught them for so long, they ought to have 
believed that He was indeed the Saviour of the 
world ! 

But Jesus goes on patiently teaching them again. 
He calls Himself the Bread of Life, and tells the 
people that those who come to Him shall never 
hunger, and those who believe on Him shall never 
thirst. That means, He will give to those that seek 
Him, all that their souls require — He will give them 
everlasting life. 

Jesus went on to say, “Him that cometli to me I 
will in no wise cast out. For I came to do my 
Fathers will ; and this is His will : that every one 
who believes in me shall have everlasting life ; and 
I will raise him up at the last day.” 

The Jews had been listening to Jesus as He was 
speaking to the people ; and now they began to get 
angry with Him again, as they had so often done be- 
fore. 

They said, “ How can He call Himself the Bread 
of Life ? How can He say He came down from 
heaven ? Is not this J esus, the son of J oseph the 
carpenter ? ” 


180 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Jesus said, “ Do not murmur among yourselves. 
Truly, truly 1 say to you, he that believes on me, 
has everlasting life. I am that Bread of Life. He 
who eats this bread shall live for ever.” 

The Jews were yet more angry as they heard 
this. “ How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? ” 
they asked with great indignation. 

And now many of Jesus’ own disciples began to 
complain, and to say, “ This is a hard saying; who 
can understand it ? ” 

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples 
murmured at what He had said, He explained to 
them His meaning. It was not His real flesh they 
were to eat — not His real blood they were to drink — 
but they were to feed upon His words. He said, 
“ It is the Spirit that gives life ; the flesh profiteth 
nothing : the words that I speak unto you, they are 
Spirit, and they are life. But some of you do not 
believe.’ 7 

For Jesus knew from the beginning who they 
were that believed not, and who would betray Him. 

From that time many of His disciples went back 
and walked no more with Him. They had followed 
Him a long time, and had liked to be with Him; but 
now they could not understand His words, and they 
were offended and discontented. 

It made Jesus sad to see them go ; He was sorry 
for their sakes, and He was sorry for His own ; for 
He loved them. 


THE WOMAN OF TYRE. 


181 


Then He turned to the Twelve, and asked them 
sorrowfully, Will you also go away ?” 

Peter answered at once, with a heart full of affec- 
tion, “ Lord, to whom should we go? You have the 
words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure 
that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Peter spoke for the others as well as for himself. 
He felt sure that all must love their Master as much 
as he did. But what did Jesus reply? 

44 Have not I chosen you twelve ? and one of you 
is a devil.” 

He spoke of Judas Iscariot; for he it was that 
should betray Him : and he was one of the twelve. 


CHAPTER XXXV. 

THE WOMAN OF TYRE. 

A FTER these things Jesus went away from Caper- 
^ naum — away from the unbelieving Jews and the 
fault-finding Scribes and Pharisees — to go to a part 
of the country where He had never been before. It 
was a heathen land into which He had now come ; 
but great numbers of the people had heard of Jesus, 
and had even gone down into Galilee to see Him. 

The Lord had not come into the coasts of Tyre 
and Sidon to preach, but for rest and quiet. He was 
accompanied by the twelve Apostles ; and with them 


182 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


He went into a house, and did not wish any one to 
know about it. 

But He could not be hid. For a woman lived 
near there who had a young daughter ; and the pool 
girl was afflicted with an evil spirit ; and the mother 
was greatly distressed about her and very unhappy. 
She knew quite well that only one person could cast 
the devil out of her 
afflicted child — and 
that was the great 
Prophet of Naza- 
reth, of whom she 
had heard such 
wonderful things. 

But how could she 
get to Him ? Where 
could she find Him? 

At last, one day, 
to her great joy, 
she saw Jesus in 
her own country. With hope trembling in her 
heart she followed Him, and cried, saying, “ 0 Lord, 
thou Son of David, my daughter is grievously vexed 
with a devil !” 

But Jesus took no notice of her, and answered 
her not a word. 

Then the disciples came and begged Jesus to dis- 
miss her. They said, “ Send her away, for she cries 
after ms.” 



THE WOMAN OF TYRE. 


183 


It was not that they wanted their Master to send 
her away without having her prayer granted ; they 
only wanted Him to do quickly the deed of mercy 
that they were sure He would do in the end, so 
that her crying after them would not make all 
the other people in the place know that they were 
there. 

But Jesus wanted to show His disciples what great 
faith this poor Gentile woman had. For this reason 
He tried her faith yet further. 

He said, “ I am not sent to the Gentiles, but only 
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

The woman still persevered in her prayer. She 
came and fell at His feet, and worshipped Him, 
saying,— 

“ Lord, help me.” 

Still Jesus does not help her. 

“ It is not right to take the children’s bread,” He 
said, “ and to cast it to the dogs.” 

The woman answered, “ That is true, Lord, yet 
the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their 
master’s table. I do not ask for the children’s bread 
— I only ask for the crumbs.” 

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, iC 0 
woman, great is your faith ; be it unto you even as 
you wish.” 

So the woman went home contented, and happy, 
and thankful, because she believed the Saviour’s 
word. And when she was come to her house she 


184 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon 
the bed. 

There are three things about this woman of Tyre 
that I want you to notice ; for they are things that 
God likes to see in all His children ; and they are 
the signs of His Holy Spirit in the heart. 

She had great faith. She felt quite sure that 
Jesus could heal her daughter, because she knew He 
was the Son of God. 

She had great patience. Though Jesus appeared 
not to listen to her, or to care for her, still she went 
on praying : she never ceased asking for the blessing 
till she got it. 

She had great humility. She felt herself to be 
quite unworthy of having her petition granted ; she 
was only a poor Gentile — no better than a dog — yet 
she knew Jesus would not refuse her on that 
account. 

Do you remember how the Saviour said, long 
ago, in His Sermon on the mount, that those are 
blessed who do not think much of themselves ? 
The woman of Tyre was one of these : she was 
humble-minded. 


PEOPLE HE ALEP, AND TA UGLIT, AND FED. 


135 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 

PEOPLE HEALED, AND TAUGHT, AND FED. 

rpHE Lord Jesus journeyed about with His disciples 
a great deal in those days ; and now He came 
to a part of the country called Decapolis. 

The people there, like those about Tyre and 
Sidon, had heard of Him ; and a good many had 
followed Him at one time. More lately, too, they 
had heard of His wonderful works ; for the demoniac 
whom He had healed — the man out of whom He 
had cast so many devils — had gone into that country, 
telling everywhere how Jesus had restored him to 
his right mind. 

So now, when Jesus came there, a great multitude 
went after Him. He went up into a mountain ; and 
they brought to Him all those who were sick, and 
cast them down at Jesus’ feet ; and He healed 
them all. 

Tt must have been a wonderful sight to see so 
many cured so quickly of all their diseases. And 
the multitude were astonished when they saw the 
dumb speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to 
walk, and the blind to see ; and they glorified — they 
praised — the God of heaven. 

Amongst those who were brought to Jesus was a 
man who was deaf, and who could not speak plainly ; 


186 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


and they begged Jesus very earnestly that He would 
put His hands upon him and heal him. So the 
Saviour took him aside from the multitude, and put 
His fingers into his ears ; and then He spit and 
touched his tongue. 

When He h*ad done that, He looked up to heaven 
and sighed, and said, “ Be opened.” 

And immediately the man’s ears were opened, and 
the string of his tongue was loosed, and he could 
hear perfectly, and could speak quite plainly. 

I wonder why Jesus sighed when He did this mir- 
acle ! Perhaps He knew that the man would not 
make a good use of the blessings He was giving him. 
And, indeed, we know that he did not begin to use 
his tongue as Jesus would have had him do. For 
the Lord told the man, and his friends who brought 
him, not to tell any one what had been done. But 
they did not obey Him ; they told the wonderful 
story everywhere. 

All who heard it were greatly astonished. They 
said, “ He has done all things well ; He makes both 
the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.” 

No wonder the people liked to be with Jesus ! no 
wonder they could not bear to leave Him ! for not 
only did He heal the sick, but He taught them, and 
preached to them ; and they never wearied of listen- 
ing to Him. No one had ever spoken to them like 
this before, and they were so afraid of losing any of 
His words, that they would not even go to their 


PEOPLE HEALED , AND TAUGHT \ AND FED. 187 

homes ; but for two nights and three days they con- 
tinued with Him. 

At last Jesus called His disciples to Him, and 
said, — 

“ I feel great pity for the multitude, because they 
have now been with me three days, and have no- 
thing to eat ; and if I send them away, without any 
food, to their own houses, they will be ill ; for many 
of them come from a long way off.” 

His disciples answered : “ But where could we get- 
bread enough in this wilderness, to feed so great a 
multitude ? ” 

Jesus asked, “ How many loaves have you ? ” 

They said, “ Seven.’’ 

Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the 
ground; and He took the seven loaves, and gave 
thanks, and brake, and gave to His disciples to set 
before them ; and the disciples gave the bread to the 
people. 

They had also a few small fishes. These also 
Jesus took, and blessed, and gave to the disciples to 
set before the people. 

So they did all eat and were filled : and they took 
up of the broken bits that were left, seven baskets 
full. And afterwards Jesus sent the people away to 
their homes. 

There were four thousand men, besides women 
and children, that Jesus had fed. How they must 
have wondered as they saw that He had but the 


188 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


seven loaves and the few small fishes; and yet, not 
only did they all eat as much as ever they wanted, 
but there was also such a great deal over. 

This was the second time Jesus had worked a 
miracle by feeding a great multitude. 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 

JESUS TELLS THE TWELVE OF COMING SORROWS. 

ANCE more Jesus went with His disciples to the 
^ shores of Gennesareth. But directly He en- 
tered one of the towns — called Magdala — His 
enemies, the Pharisees, came again, to tempt and to 
annoy Him. 

They began to question Him, and to ask Him to 
give them a sign from heaven — to do some great 
mircle — to show that He was the Son of God. 

Then Jesus sighed very deeply in His spirit. His 
heart was pained to see how full of wickedness and 
unbelief they were. “ Why will these people seek 
after a sign ? ” He said. “ There shall no sign be 
given to them. ,, 

And He left them. He would not stay there, where 
He was hated. He took a ship, and crossed over 
the lake, and went to another place. 

And they brought a blind man to Jesus, begging 


JESUS TELLS OF COMING SORROWS. 


189 


Him that He would touch him, and restore his sight. 
The Saviour never refused to help any who were suf- 
fering, and who asked His aid ; no one ever came to 
Him in vain ; so He took the poor blind man by the 
hand, and Himself led him gently and tenderly out 
of the town, — for He did not wish to heal him in 
sight of all the people who lived there. 

Then the Lord spit on his eyes, and put His hands 
upon him, and asked him if he saw anything. But 
he could not see very distinctly yet ; he looked up, 
and said, — 

“ I see men like trees walking.” 

After that Jesus put His hands again upon the 
man’s eyes, and told him to look up; and this time 
liis sight was quite restored, and he saw everything 
plainly. 

Then Jesus sent him away to his own house, and 
said to him, “ Mind you do not go into the town ; 
and do not tell to any one in the town, how I have 
made you see.” 

The people in that place were unbelieving, and did 
not love the Lcrd Jesus ; so that is why He did not 
wish the miracle that He had done to be known there. 

After that, Jesus journeyed on, to go to other parts 
jf the country. No one was with Him now but His 
disciples — the faithful Twelve who had been with 
Him so long. 

Jesus had been praying; and when His prayer 
was over, as they were walking along He asked, — 



( 100 ) 


“BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. 


JESUS TELLS OF COMING SORRO WS. 


191 


“ Who do people say that I am ? ” 

The disciples answered, — “ Some say that you are 
John the Baptist; and some say you are Elijah, or 
some other Prophet.” 

How strange it was that, after all Jesus had done 
and taught, the people would not believe in Him as 
the Messiah ! Sometimes, you remember, when 
they had seen Him do some very wonderful thing, 
they did exclaim that He was the Son of God : but 
they did not really believe it in their hearts, or they 
could not have changed their minds about it. They 
believed that He was only a Prophet. 

Then Jesus questioned His disciples again. “But 
who do you say that I am ? ” 

Peter answered at once — “You are the Christ, the 
Son of the living God.” 

Jesus said to him, “ You are blessed ; because no 
man has taught you this, but God — even my Father 
which is in heaven.” 

And now Jesus began to tell His disciples some- 
thing that made them very sad and sorrowful. He 
told them that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer 
many things — much rudeness and cruelty — from 
the chief priests and rulers, and that He must be 
killed ; but that after three days He would rise again 
from the dead. 

This was, indeed, heavy tiding. Could it be pos- 
sible that their own dear Master was to be killed ? 
That He, God’s Son, was to be put to death by the 


192 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


people at Jerusalem? Their hearts ached at the 
terrible thought ; and Peter so forgot himself 
that he caught hold of Jesus, and began to find fault 
Vvith Him. 

“ God forbid,” he said ; “ this shall not happen to 
you, Lord.” 

Ah ! j ust before, the Saviour had praised Peter 
for his faith ; now He rebukes Him for thinking that 
he knew better than his Master. 

“ Get behind me, Satan ; you are a stumbling-stone 
to me ; for your thoughts are not the thoughts of 
God, but of men.” 

Jesus called Peter “ Satan,” because He knew that 
it was the devil that was tempting him to speak like 
that. 

The disciples could not understand that the only 
way sinful men could get to heaven, was by the 
death of Jesus, — that He must bear in his own body 
on the cross the punishment of all our sins. They 
only saw the sadness of it; they did not see the ne- 
cessity. 

But why were they not comforted at the thought 
of their Lord’s resurrection on the third day ? 

The reason was, that they did not understand 
what the rising from the dead meant ; and they were 
afraid to ask Him. 

J esus went on to tell them that trials, and diffi- 
culties, and hardships were not only for Him, but 
for His followers, too ; and that they must be pre- 


JESUS TELLS OF COMING SORROWS. 193 

pared to bear cheerfully shame, and contempt, and 
even death , for His sake. He told them, too, that 
one day He would come down from heaven in the 
glory of His Father, with the holy angels; and 
then He would reward all those who were faithful. 
And He gave them this warning, — 

“ Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my 
words, of him shall I be ashamed when I come again 
in glory.” 

Jesus said also : “ I tell you of a truth that 
some of you who are standing here shall not die, till 
you have seen the Son of man coming in His king- 
dom.” 

He was going very soon to show three of them 
His glory ; and this would better help them to bear 
the sorrows that would follow. 

The disciples were very grieved — very down- 
hearted — as they heard of all the troubles that were 
before them. But they loved their Master too well 
to wish to leave Him ; they felt they could bear 
anything for His dear sake, because they loved Him 
so much. 


13 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


■J 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 

OIX days after that sad talk which had so dis- 
^ tressed the Apostles — when their Lord had told 
them plainly, for the first time, that He must die — 
Jesus took Peter, and James, and John, and brought 
them up to the top of a high mountain. 

It was evening, and the disciples were very tired 
after their long, steep climb ; they were quite heavy 
with sleep, too ; so they lay down on the ground, 
and were soon fast asleep. 

While they were sleeping, Jesus was praying ; and 
as He prayed, a most wonderful change passed over 
Him. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes 
became all glistening and bright, and white as the 
light itself. 

And two men appeared with Jesus — Moses and 
Elijah — and they also were in brightness and glory; 
and they talked with Jesus, speaking of the death 
which He should die at Jerusalem. 

The dazzling light that was shining all around 
them awoke the slumbering disciples ; and as they 
started up in wonder, what did they see ? 

They saw their Master transfigured before them 
— changed and glorified ! They saw also the two 


THE TRANSFIGURATION. 


195 


men who were with Him, and they knew who they 
were — Moses, that great prophet who had lived on 
earth fourteen hundred and fifty years before, and 
who was called the friend of God; and Elijah, who 
had lived nine hundred years before, and had been 
taken up in a whirlwind, and with chariot and horses 
of fire, into heaven. 

And what were they talking about ? 

Just of that very thing that had made the Twelve 
so unhappy ; they spoke of the sufferings and death 
that their blessed Master should endure at Jeru- 
salem; and Peter, James and John heard what they 
said. 

While they were still looking in awe and aston- 
ishment, a bright cloud came and overshadowed 
them all ; and they feared as they entered into the 
cloud. Then there came a voice out of the cloud, 
which said, — 

“ This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased ; hear Him.” 

Whose voice was that? 

It was the Father’s voice — the voice of God Him- 
self — and when the disciples heard it, they were 
sore afraid; and they fell on their faces on the 
earth. 

Then Jesus came and gently touched them, and 
said, — 

“ Get up, and do not be afraid.” 

At His words, and at His touch, they lifted up 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


their eyes ; and when they had looked all round, 
they saw that no one was there but Jesus. 

As they came down from the mountain, Jesus 
gave them a strict order. He said, “ Tell no one 
what you have seen, till after I am risen from the 
dead.’’ 

And Peter, James and John obeyed Jesus; and 
never spoke of it even to the rest of the Apostles. 
But they often spoke of it amongst themselves, and 
wandered what the rising from the dead should 
mean. 



MT. HERMON. 


THE DEMONIAC BOY. 


197 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 

THE DEMONIAC BOY. 

VY^HEN Jesus, with His three companions, had 

T come down to the foot of the mountain, He 
saw the other nine Apostles with a great multitude 
round them, and the Scribes questioning with them. 
It was a scene of great confusion and excitement, 
and of sorrow and suffering, too ; and the disci- 
ples were looking perplexed and ashamed. 

When the people saw Jesus, they ran to Him. 
There must have been something of the glory still 
left on His face, for the Bible tells us that the people 
were greatly amazed, and that they saluted Hint — 
that is, they showed Him reverence. 

Then Jesus asked the Scribes, “ What are you 
disputing about ? ” 

But before they could answer, a man pushed his 
way through the crowd, and kneeling down to 
Jesus, said, — 

“ Master, I beseech you, look upon my son ; for 
he is my only child. And he is deaf and dumb, 
and out of his mind, and sore vexed ; for often he 
falls into the fire, and often into the water ; and I 
brought him to your disciples, that they should cast 
the evil spirit out of him, but they could not.” 

Ah ! this then was what made the Apostles look 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


so ashamed and distressed. Their Master had given 
them power to heal all manner of diseases, and to 
cast out devils; yet they could not not cure this 
poor demoniac boy. We shall see presently why it 
was that they failed in doing it. 

When Jesus heard the father’s story, He an- 
swered, — 

“0 faithless people, how long shall I be with 
you ? how long shall I bear with you ? Bring your 
son to me.” 

So they brought Him to Jesus ; and when the boy 
saw Him, he fell on the ground again in violent con- 
vulsions, and foamed at the mouth. 

“ How long has he been like this ? ” the Saviour 
asked. 

The father replied, “ Ever since he was a little 
child. But if you can do anything, have pity on us 
and help us.” 

“ If you can !” Why, of course Jesus can ! but the 
question is, if the man can believe ; for Jesus always 
required faith in those who brought the sufferers to 
Him. So the Lord said, — 

“ If you can believe, all things are possible to him 
that belie veth.” 

And immediately the father of the boy cried out 
with tears, “ Lord, I believe ; do help my unbe- 
lief.” 

When Jesus saw that the people came running 
together, He rebuked the wicked spirit, saying to 


THE DEMONIAC BOY. 


199 


him, “ You. dumb and deaf spirit, I bid you come 
out of him, and enter no more into him.” 

And the spirit cried, and tore him, and came out 
of him. Then the boy lay on the ground 3o stilly 
tliatj.t seemed as if he were dead ; and many of the 
people said, “ He is dead.” 

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him 
up, and gave him to his father, quite cured and well. 
And all the people were amazed at the mighty power 
of God. 

When Jesus was come into the house, His disciples 
asked Him privately, “ Why could not we cast out 
the evil spirit ? ” 

Jesus told them plainly, “ Because of your un- 
belief.” 

Yes, that was the reason ; they had not faith 
enough. Perhaps since that sad talk with Jesus, 
when He had told them of the sorrow that was 
coming, their faith and trust in His power had got 
weaker. But they might have got more faith if they 
had only prayed for it. 

Jesus said to them, “ I say to you truly, that if 
you have faith, you shall say to this mountain, Re- 
move hence to yonder place, and it shall remove ; 
and nothing shall be impossible to you.” 

He told them, too, that if they had prayed, they 
would have been able to cast the devil out of that 
poor boy. Faith and prayer can work miracles. 

Dear children, in this story of the demoniac boy, 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


there is something for you to think about very seri- 
ously. . Is it not terrible to read how completely he 
was under the power of an evil spirit? and have 
you ever thought that sometimes you too are under 
the power of Satan ? 

I will explain to you how this is. 

When you do what you know is wrong, and when 
you indulge in angry, naughty tempers, you are 
obeying Satan’s will, and you are putting yourself in 



WOMEN GRINDING. 


his power; and the oftener you sin, the stronger is 
his power over you. 

Satan is stronger than you, and by yourself you 
cannot fight against him. But Jesus is stronger than 
Satan, and Jesus is always ready to help — more 
ready a great deal, than you are to pray. So re- 


JESUS TEACHES THE TWELVE. 


201 


member that when you want grace and strength to 
give up your wrong-doing, to amend your faults, and 
to restrain your bad tempers or unkind dispositions^ 
you must ask the Lord Jesus to help you, and you 
must believe that He both can and will do it. 

Do not forget that all naughtiness is the work of 
an evil spirit. And do not forget that God has given 
you power to cast out the evil spirit. 

How ? By prayer to Him, and by faith in Him. 


CHAPTER XL. 


JESUS TEACHES THE TWELVE. 



ND now Jesus again returns to Capernaum, His 


own city. But he went secretly, and did not 
wish that any one should know it. Why was this ? 

It was because the people were unbelieving and 
hardened ; and the Pharisees and the rulers hated 
Him. He had done many mighty works there, but 
they had not believed in Him ; He had taught them 
long, but they had not repented of their evil ways. 
So He was not going to teach the multitude any 
more ; but to teach and train the twelve Apostles 
who were to carry on His work. 

He was constantly telling them now, the story 
that it made them so sad to hear ; for He wanted to 
prepare their mie^s for the trials that were coming. 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


“ The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the 
hands of men, and they shall kill Him.” 

Yet though He spoke so plainly, they could not 
understand it, — they did not think what it really 
meant, and they were afraid to ask Him. They 
knew He was the Messiah, and they knew He would 
reign in glory, and that He would let them be with 
Him; and this was what they were more often 
thinking about. 

So, whenever Jesus spoke of His death, it made 
them very sad at the time ; but they seemed to for- 
get continually, that the suffering must come before 
the glory. 

Even now, while they were on the way to Caper- 
naum, and after Jesus had been telling them that He 
must soon be put to death, they began to dispute 
amongst themselves which of them should be the 
greatest in the kingdom of heaven ! They were very 
far from being like their Blessed Master yet : jeal- 
ousy and pride were in their hearts, — each wanted 
to be first. They had not yet learned to be humble- 
minded. 

And they must have shown bad temper, too ; for 
it was not a friendly talk, but a dispute. 

Jesus knew it all; but He took no notice of it 
then. When, however, they had reached Capernaum, 
and were in the house, He asked them, — 

“ What were you disputing about on the way ?” 

No wonder they were silent ! They were ashamed 



“suffer little children to come unto me.” 


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JESUS TEACHING THE TWELVE. 203 

to tell their Master what had passed ; they were 
ashamed that He should know what a different spirit 
to His own they had shown. 

Then Jesus sat down and called the Twelve 
around Him, and taught them again ; and, that they 
might understand very plainly the lesson He would 
teach them, He called a little child to Him ; and 
when He had taken him in His arms, He said to 
them, — 

“ Except you become changed, and become as little 
children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 
Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this 
little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom ol’ 
heaven.” 

That little child which the gentle Saviour held in 
His arms, must have been a very obedient, loving, 
and humble little boy. We know that all children 
are not like this ; but when they have never any 
wish or thought of being first, — when they do not 
think much of themselves, when they are obedient 
and humble, then the Lord Jesus is pleased with 
them ; for so must all His disciples be, whether they 
are grown up, or only little children. 

Do you remember how He said once, 66 Take my 
yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and 
lowly in heart ?” It is not easy to be meek ; but if 
we pray for God’s Holy Spirit, He will help us to 
conquer the pride, or jealousy, or unkindness that is 
in our hearts 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


While Jesus was speaking to His disciples, John 
said, — 

“ Master, we saw a man casting out devils in your 
name ; and we told him not to do it, because he did 
not follow us.” 

I think John must have begun to feai, as ne lis- 
tened to His Master’s words, that they had done 
wrong, and had not been meek or kind in forbidding 
that man to cast out devils ; and so now he confessed 
it to Jesus, as if to ask Him what He thought. 

The Lord did not approve of what they had done. 
He said, — 

“ Do not forbid him ; for no one who shall do a 
miracle in my name, can speak evil of me.” 

The man must have believed in Jesus, or he could 
not have done miracles. 

Then Peter said to Jesus, “ Lord, how often shall 
my brother offend me, and I forgive him ? till seven 
times ?” 

Jesus answered, “ I say not unto you until seven 
times, but until seventy times seven.” (That means 
any number of times.) 

He told them, also, how they must forgive; it 
must be from the heart. “ Your heavenly Father,” 
He said, “ will not forgive you , if you, from your 
hearts, forgive not every one his brother their faults.” 

And the Apostles said unto the Lord, “ Increase 
our faith.” 

They felt it was not easy to forgive like this, — 


JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE. 


205 


just as it was not easy to be meek like their Master. 
So they made a wise prayer, that He would give 
them more faith in His power, to make them what 
they ought to be. 


CHAPTER XLT. 

JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE. 

THE time was drawing near for a very joyful feast 
to be held at Jerusalem. It was not the Pass- 
over; but towards the end of every year, after the 
harvest or fruit and grain had been all gathered in, 
a great feast was held (something like a harvest-home 
in England), called the Feast of Tabernacles. 

The brethren of Jesus— His relations — were going 
up to this least, and they wanted to know if He was 
going too ; so they said to Him, — 

“ Why do you stay here so quietly, if you want 
people to know about you ? If you do wonderful 
things, show yourself to the world ! Go from here ; 
go to Judaea — to Jerusalem — that all your disciples 
may see the works you do !” 

His brethren spoke like this because they did not 
believe in Him. But Jesus answered meekly, — 

“ My time is not yet come,’’ He said. “ The world 
does not hate you, but it hates me because I tell it of 
all its evil works. You go up to this feast : I will 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


not go up just yet, because my time is not yet full 
come.” 

So His brethren went up to Jerusalem. 

When they were gone, then Jesus went up; but 
not immediately. He did not go with all the other 
people who were flocking to the holy city ; He went 
quietly with His disciples afterwards. 

The Jews at Jerusalem were very anxious to know 
if He was coming to the feast ; and they looked about 
for Him, and asked, “ Where is He ?” 

And the people began to talk about Him. Some 
said, “ He is a good man others said, “ No, He is 
not, — He deceives the people.” 

The Feast of Tabernacles lasted eight days ; and 
our days had already passed, when, to the surprise 
of all the people (for they had quite given up all 
hope of seeing Him), Jesus was seen. He went up 
into the Temple, and taught. 

The Jews, as they listened to Him, could not help 
wondering at Him. “ How is it that this man has 
such learning ? for He is only a carpenter s son,” they 
said amongst themselves. 

Jesus knew what they were saying, and He an- 
swered them : “ My learning comes from my heavenly 
Father. And if you would do God’s will, you would 
know quite well that what I teach is of God.” 

Then Jesus asked them, suddenly, a question that 
showed them how well He knew what was in their 
hearts. He said, “ Why do you go about to kill me V 


model of Solomon’s temple. ( 206 $) 





















JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE 


207 


Their answer was rude and rough. “ You have a 
devil,” they said ; “ who goes about to kill you ?” 

J esus answered them gently ; reminding them how 
He had cured the sick man at Bethesda, more than a 
year ago. He said, “ I have done one work, and you 
all marvel at it. Why are you angry with me 
because I have made a man quite well on the Sab- 
bath day ?” 

They could not answer this question, for in their 
hearts they knew that He was right and they were 
wrong. 

Then some of the Jews, who lived in Jerusalem, 
said, “ Is not this He whom they seek to kill ? But, 
see ! He speaks quite openly, and they say nothing 
to Him. Can it be that He is the Messiah ? ” 

And many of the people believed on Him, and 
said, “ When Christ comes, can He do greater mira- 
cles than these which this man has done?” 

When the proud Pharisees and chief priests heard 
that the people were beginning to talk in this way, 
they sent some soldiers to take Jesus. They could 
not bear that any one should believe in Him, and 
they were longing to have Him killed. 

So the soldiers went, as they were bidden ; but 
while they were watching for an opportunity to take 
Him, they heard Him teaching. They heard Him 
say that if any one thirsted for the Water of Life, 
He would give it to them, — He would give them the 
Holy Spirit ; and, as the soldiers listened, they felt 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


they could not, and they dared not, lay hands on 
such a holy Teacher. 

So they went back again to the chief priests and 
Pharisees, who asked them angrily, “ Why have you 
not brought Him ? ” 

The soldiers answered, “ Never man spake like 
this man ! ” 

The Pharisees, were very angry. They said, “ Are 
you also deceived? Have any of the rulers, or of 
the Pharisees believed on Him ? ” 

Yes ; one of their rulers did believe in Him. Do 
you remember who it was ? 

It was Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night. 
But Nicodemus was afraid to say openly that he 
believed in Him, because he was so much afraid of 
the Jews ; so he only said, timidly, — 

“ We must not judge any one before we hear him, 
and know what his fault is.” 

The other rulers did not like to hear Nicodemus 
speak so gently of the man they hated, and they 
said, sneeringly, — 

“ Are you also a believer in Him ? Search and 
look, for no prophet comes out of Galilee.” 

After that, all the people went away to their own 
homes. But Jesus had no home to go to; so He 
went up to the Mount of Olives, and there He stayed 
all night. 

No doubt He spent the night in prayer to God, as 
He had so often done before. But very early in the 


JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE. 20 j 

morning He was down in the Temple again ; and all 
the people came to Him, and He sat down and 
taught them. 

He said, “ I am the Light of the World : he who 
follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall 
have the Light of Life.” That means that the dis- 
ciples of the Lord Jesus will not walk in sin, — they 
will not take any pleasure in evil thoughts or evil 
deeds, but they will try to do God’s will on earth, 
and He will give them everlasting life. 

The Pharisees were listening to all He said, and 
now they began again to contradict Him. 

“ You say what is not true,” they said. They 
were longing to take Him, but they could not, be- 
cause the proper time had not come for Him to die. 

Jesus was not afraid of them. He knew they 
would kill Him soon ; and now He spoke very 
plainly to them, to tell them what their end would 
be, if they did not repent. He said, — 

“ If you do not believe that I am the Son of God 
you shall die in your sins. You want to kill Me, 
though I have only spoken to you the truth which I 
have heard of God.” 

The Jews said, “ God is our Father.” 

Jesus answered, “If God were your Father, you 
would love Me, because I come from God. But you 
are not His children, — you are the children of the 
devil. He was a murderer and a liar from the be- 
ginning ; and you do his works.” 

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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS . 


The Jews were more and more mad with rage as 
they listened to Him ; and at last, in their hatred 
and passion, they took up stones to fling at Him, 
that they might stone Him to death. 

But again He worked a miracle, as He had done 
once before, when the Nazarenes wanted to kill 
Him by throwing Him down a very steep hill, or 
rock. He hid Himself from them. 

He went out of the Temple, passing right through 
the very midst of them. But they could not see 
Him ! And so He passed by safely. 


CHAPTER XLII. 

THE MAN BORN BLIND. 

TVTOW as Jesus was passing by, after He had gone 
1 out from the Temple, He saw a man who had 
been born blind. 

Have you ever thought what a dreadful thing it 
must be to be born blind ? This poor man had 
never seen his father or his mother ; he had never 
seen the green trees or the beautiful flowers ; he had 
never seen the bright sun shining, nor had he 
watched at night the silvery moon and the twinkling 
stars. He had never seen anything . Can you not 
imagine how sad it was ? 

When the disciples saw him, they asked Jesus, 


THE MAN BORN BLIND . 


211 


saying, “ Master, why was this man born blind ? 
Was it because he was very wicked? or because his 
parents were very wicked ? ” 

Jesus answered, “ That is not the reason ; it is 
because the power of God should be shown in him.” 

We do not read that this poor, blind beggar asked 
Jesus for anything; but the Saviour was too full of 
love and pity for any sufferer to pass Him by. So 
now He stopped, and spat on the ground ; then He 
made clay, and spread the clay over the eyes of the 
blind man, and said to him, — 

“ Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.” 

The blind man did at once what he was told ; he 
went and washed, and came back seeing. 

Think what must have been his wonder at all the 
things he now saw for the first time in his life ! 
The beautiful blue sky, the houses on each side of 
him, the people, the carriages, the animals and 
birds, were all new to him, — he had never seen any 
of them before. 

I suppose the neighbors, and those who had seen 
him before, could scarcely recognize him, now that 
he was looking so bright and happy. They said, 
“ Is not this he that sat and begged ? ” 

And some of the people said, “ Yes, this is he.” 
Others said, “ It is like him.” But he said, “ I am 
he.” 

Then they asked him, “ How were your eyes 
opened ? ” 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS 


He said, “ A man called Jesus, made clay an ! 
put it on my eyes, and told me to wash in the pool 



POOI, OF SII*OAM. 


of Siloam ; and I went and washed, and I received 
my sight.” 

“ Then they said to him, “ Where is He ? ” 


THE MAN BORN BLIND . 


218 


“ He answered, “ I do not know.” 

It was the Sabbath day when Jesus had done this 
miracle. So the people took the man to the Phar- 
isees, and the Pharisees asked him what had been 
done to his eyes. 

He told them, “ He put clay upon them, and I 
washed and do see.” 

Some of the Pharisees, when they heard this, said. 
“ This man is not of God, because He does not 
keep the Sabbath.” 

But others said, “ Can a sinner do such mira- 
cles ? ” 

So there was a great deal of disputing about it. 
Then they said to the man again, “ What do you 
think of the man who has opened your eyes ? ” 

He replied at once, “ He is a Prophet.” 

But the Jews did not believe that the man had 
been blind at all, so they called his parents, and 
asked them about it. 

The parents said, “ We know that this is our 
son, and that he was born blind ; but how it is that 
he can now see, we do not know. But ask him 
about it ; he will be able to tell you.” 

Then the Pharisees called the man who had 
been blind, and asked him again, “What did He 
do to you ? how did He open your eyes ? ” 

He answered them, “I have told you already, 
and you did not attend : why do you wish to hear 
it again ? Do you wish to be His disciples?” 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then they sneered at him, and said, “ You are 
His disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We 
know that God spoke to Moses, — as for this fel- 
low, we know nothing about Him.” 

The man answered and said to them, “Why, 
this is a wonderful thing that you know nothing 
about Him, and yet He has opened my eyes ! 
Since the world began, it has never been heard of, 
that any man has opened the eyes of one that 
was born blind. If this man were not of God, He 
could do nothing.” 

The Pharisees were very angry at his daring to 
say this to them, and they were determined to 
punish him for it. They said, “You were alto- 
gether born in sins, and do you teach us ? ” 

Then they gave an order that he was not to be 
allowed to go into the synagogue for a whole month. 
This was always reckoned a great disgrace. 

Jesus heard that they had shut the man out 
from the synagogue for thirty days — a whole 
month — and so He went to look for him. When 
He had found him, He said, — 

“ Do you believe on the Son of God ? ” 

The man answered, “ Who is He, Lord, that I 
might believe on Him ? ” 

Jesus said to him, “ You have seen Him ; and 
it is He who is now speaking to you.” 

And the man replied, “Lord, I believe” Then 
he worshipped Him. 



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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


So Jesus opened the man’s heart as well as his 
eyes, and gave him light both for his body and 
his soul. He now saw that Jesus was his Saviour; 
and because he believed in Him with all his heart, 
the Lord gave him, according to His promise, ever- 
lasting life. 


CHAPTER XLIII. 

THE SEVENTY. 

TN a little while — in less than half a year — Jesus 
would be crucified. He knew exactly the right 
time to lay down His precious life ; and He would 
not put it off for a single hour. His delight was 
to do His Father’s will; and His love for us was 
so great, that it made Him willing to die for us. 

But before that dreadful time should come He 
wanted to journey about to a great many towns and 
villages ; and He wanted the people to be prepared 
to receive Him. But He would not preach any more 
in Galilee. He had been there so much, and they 
did not believe in Him, and did not care to have 
Him amongst them. And He would not teach any 
more in Samaria ; for He had sent two disciples into 
that country to say that their Lord was coming. 
But the people would not receive Him, and would 
not let Him have food or lodging, so He turned away 
from them. 


THE SEVENTY. 


217 


But it was in the country beyond Jordan and in 
the land of Judsea that He intended to spend the 
last weeks of His life. He wanted the Gospel to be 
preached there ; He wanted people to be told of a 
.Saviour for sinners. But how few there were to tell 
them about it 1 

You remember how He had sent out the 



JERUSALEM FROM THE ROAD TO BETHANY. 


Twelve some time before, by two and two, to 
preach and heal the sick? Now He was going to 
send many more to carry His message of love and 
mercy. 

So He appointed seventy men (besides the Twelve) 
that He might send them on before, by two and two, 


218 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


into every place where He Himself intended to go 
afterwards. 

The Seventy were true disciples of the Lord 
Jesus ; they believed in Him, and they loved Him ; 
and they were quite ready to go wherever He should 
send them. Jesus gave them instructions as to what 
they were to do. They were to heal the sick, to cast 
out devils, and to preach, saying, — 

“The Kingdom of God is come near to you.” 

He told them that there would be dangers. “ Go 
your ways,” He said ; “ behold, I send you forth as 
lambs in the midst of wolves.” There would be 
many people who would hate them, as they hated 
their master; but they were to be peaceable and 
gentle ; as “ wise as serpents, and harmless and sim- 
ple as doves.” 

So the Seventy set out on their mission, and did 
the work their Lord had given them to do. 

After some time they returned to Jesus to tell 
Him what they had done ; and they were full of joy 
as they gave Him an account of it all. They said, — 

“ Lord, even the devils obey us, through your 
name.” 

Jesus answered, “ Behold, I give you power to 
tread on serpents and scorpions, and I give you 
power over devils; and nothing shall by any means 
hurt you. But do not rejoice most because the evil 
spirits obey you — be more glad because your names 
are written in heaven.” 


THE SEVENTH. 


219 


We do not know the names ot the Seventy ; but 
God knew them ; and the name of each of them was 
written down in the Book of Life. Were the names 
ot ait the Twelve written there, too ? 

No. There was one amongst them whose heart 
was full of wickedness ; and though he was an 



BETHANY. 


Apostle, though he could heal the sick and cast out 
devils, yet the Holy Spirit was not in him ; and the 
master he liked best to serve was Satan, and not 
Jesus. 

You remember how the Saviour said once, “ I 
have chosen you Twelve, but one of you is a devil.” 


220 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


This was Judas Iscariot, the wicked Apostle who 
betrayed his Lord. 

So, you see, it is much better to be a true disciple 
of the Lord Jesus, and a much happier thing to have 
your name written down in heaven, than to be able 
even to work miracles. 


CHAPTER XLIV. 


THE PRODIGAL SON. 



RICH Pharisee made a feast on the Sabbath day, 


1 r and invited Jesus to the feast. He did not ask 
Him out of kindness; for as soon as Jesus entered 
the house, the Pharisee and his friends began to 
watch Him ; they wanted to see if He would do 
anything wrong, or if He would break the Sabbath. 

Now there was a poor man standing just in front 
of Jesus who had the dropsy ; his body was swollen 
with disease, and the Saviour, in His tender pity, 
wished to heal him. But what would the Pharisees 
think and say if He healed him on the Sabbath 
day? 

Jesus knew with what unkind feelings they were 
watching Him, and He knew they had no pity for 
the sick man; and He was much grieved at the 
hardness of their hearts. Before He healed the 


THE PRODIGAL SON. 


221 


man, He asked the chief Pharisee, and those who 
were sitting at table with Him, this simple ques- 
tion, — 

“ Is it right to heal on the Sabbath day ?” 

And they did not answer a word. They knew it 
was not wrong; and yet they could not bear Jesus 
to do it. 

Then the Saviour took him and healed him, and 
let him go. 

After he had done this, He said to them, — “ If any 
of you shall have an ox or an ass fallen into a deep 
hole, will you not pull him out on the Sabbath day ? 
and how much better is a man than a beast !” 

Ah, they knew that Jesus was right, and they 
were silent before Him ; but they never liked His 
teaching, when He showed them their faults. 

Yet there were some people who liked to hear 
Him ; and these were the publicans and sinners. 
They were wicked people; but when they drew near 
to listen to His words, they felt how sinful they were, 
and they wanted to be made better. Feeling their 
sins, made them glad to hear of a Saviour. 

So Jesus taught them ; and when some of them 
asked Him to their houses, He went and ate with 
them ; for He wanted to make them good. 

Then the Scribes and Pharisees complained about 
it, saying, — “ This man receives sinners, and eats 
with them.” 

When Jesus knew they were murmuring, He told 


222 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


them a parable. He said, — *•' If a man has a hun- 
dred sheep, and he lose one of them, he will leave 
the ninety-nine others in the wilderness, while he 
goes to look for the one that is lost. And when he 



JERUSALEM. THE ROAD TO BETHLEHEM. 


has found it, he takes it up and carries it on his 
shoulders, rejoicing. 

“ Then he goes home, and calls all his friends and 
his neighbors together, saying, Eejoice with me, for 
I have found my sheep which was lost. 


THE PRODIGAL SON. 


223 


“ I say unto you, that just in the same way, there 
is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one 
sinner that is sorry for his sins.” 

You see, if the Pharisees did not rejoice when a 
poor publican or sinner turned to God, the angels in 
heaven did. 

Then Jesus told them another very beautiful par- 
able to show how great the love of God is ; and how 
much He loves poor sinners. He said, — 

“ A certain man had two sons. And after a time 
the younger son began to get discontented with his 
happy quiet home ; he wanted to leave it, to go 
away where he could enjoy himself as he liked, and 
where his father would know nothing of what he 
was doing. 

“ So he gathered together all that belonged to him, 
and all the money that his father had given him, 
and went into a far country. There he began to 
lead a wicked, riotous life. He did things he knew 
to be wrong, — things that he knew would make his 
fathers heart to ache with sorrow. But he did not 
care about displeasing his father now. 

“ He thought it would make him happy to have 
so much liberty, and to have his own way in every- 
thing ; but he found that sin brought great sorrow ; 
and he was more miserable than he had ever been 
before. 

“ Yery soon all his money vas spent; and besides 
this, a great famine was in all that land, and he 


224 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


began to be in want of food. So he asked a man of 
that city to take him for a servant; and the man 
sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 

“ And now he suffered terribly from hunger. He 
had not enough to eat ; so he ate the husks and coarse 
food that was given to the pigs. And no man gave 
to him/’ 

How miserable he was ! how cold and hungry ! 
how different from what he had been in his father’s 
home. 

“ At last he thought to himself, how many ser- 
vants of my father have bread enough and to spare, 
and I perish with hunger ! I will arise and go to my 
father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned 
against heaven and before you, and am no more 
worthy to be called your son : let me be one of your 
servants. 

“And he arose and came to his father. But when 
he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and 
had pity, and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed 
him. 

“ And the son said to his father, Father, I have 
sinned against heaven and before you, and am no 
more worthy to be called your son. 

“ But the father said to his servants, Bring forth 
the best robe and put it on him ; and put a ring on 
his hand and shoes on his feet ; and let us make a 
feast and be merry. For this my son was dead and 
is alive again ; he was lost and is found. 


THE PRODIGAL SON. 


225 


u So they began to be merry. 

“ Now his elder soil was in the field : and as he 
came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 
And he called one of the servants and asked what it 
meant. 

“ And the servant said, Your brother is come ; 



THE) FATTED CATE. 


and your father has made a feast, because he has 
received him safe and sound. 

“ Then the elder son was angry, and would not go 
into the house ; so his father came and entreated 
him. 

“ But he said to his father, These many years have 
T served you, and I never disobeyed you in any- 
thing : and j^et you never made a feast for me, that 

is 


226 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


I might be merry with my friends. But as soon as 
this son of yours has come, who has been so wicked, 
and led such a disgraceful life, you have made a feast 
for him. 

“The father answered, Son, you are always with 
me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that 
we should make merry and be glad ; for your brother 
was dead and is alive again ; and was lost and is 
found.” 

Do you understand a little what this parable 
means ? As the father had pity on his son when he 
hated his evil ways and asked for forgiveness, so God 
has pity on every poor sinner when he turns from 
his naughtiness, and prays for pardon. And “ there 
is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents.” 

Is it not true that “ God is love ? ” 


CHAPTER XLV. 

THE KINDNESS OF JESUS. 

TI7HEREVER Jesus went, He was always doing 
* ' acts of kindness ; He was so tender and com- 
passionate that He could never see suffering without 
taking it away. 

One Sabbath day He was in a synagogue teach- 
ing; and a poor woman was there who was bent 
nearly double. She had been in this sad state for 


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THE KINDNESS OF JESUS. 


227 


eighteen years, and she could not hold herself up 
the least bit. When Jesus saw her, He called her 
to Him, and said, — 

“ W oman, you are made well.’' 

And He laid His hands upon her, and immediately 
she was made straight ; and she praised God. 

But the ruler of the synagogue was very angry 
about it, and he spoke crossly to the people. He 
said,— “ There are six days in which men ought to 
work : come on those days and be healed, and not 
on the Sabbath day.” 

Then the Lord said to him, — “ You hypocrite ! ” 
(a hypocrite is a person who pretends to be good, 
but who is not at all good) “ does not every one of 
you loose his ox or his ass from the stable, and lead 
him away to watering? And ought not this woman 
to be loosed from such a bondage on the Sabbath 
day?” 

When He had said this His enemies were ashamed. 
And all the people were very glad and happy be- 
cause He had done such things. 

After this, as He was on His journey, He entered 
a certain village ; and there met Him ten men that 
were lepers. I have explained to you before what a 
dreadful disease leprosy was, and how those who had 
it were never allowed to be with other people. So 
now these poor lepers as they were coming along 
with their heads bare, and their clothes torn, were 
obliged to keep calling out, “ Unclean, unclean.” 


228 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


When they saw Jesus, they stood still at some 
little distance from Him, and lifted up their voices 
and said, — “ Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 

And Jesus did have mercy. At once He said to 
them, “ Go and show yourselves to the priests.” 

They turned quickly away to do as they were bid, 
feeling sure they would be made well ; and lo ! as 
they went they were healed. 

You would surely think that as soon as they felt 
health and strength come suddenly into their poor 
aching diseased bodies, they would fall at the Sav- 
iour’s feet, and thank Him for His goodness ! But, 
sad to tell, only one out of all the ten showed him- 
self grateful. As soon as he felt that he was healed, 
he turned back and with a loud voice praised God. 
Then he fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving 
Him thanks. 

And he was a Samaritan — one of those people 
whom the Jews despised and hated. 

Jesus said, “ Were there not ten cleansed ? but 
where are the nine ? This stranger is the only one 
who has returned to give glory to God.” And He 
said to the man, u Arise, and go your way ; your 
faith has made you well.” 

Let us take care that we are not like the nine un- 
grateful Jews; and let us not forget to thank God 
every day for all the mercies and blessings He is 
sending us every day. God loves to listen to the 
thanks and praises of the little lambs of His flock. 


THE KINDNESS OF JESUS. 


229 


And now I will tell you about some happy 
little ones who were taken in the Saviour’s arms 
and blessed. 

One day some mothers brought their infants to 
J esus, that He should bless them ; they wanted 
Him to put His holy hands upon them and pray. 
They heard the Saviour speaking about His Father, 



COURT OF AN EASTERN HOUSE 


and about heavenly things ; and as they listened to 
His kind words, and saw all His kind deeds, they 
thought how much they should like their dear little 
ones to receive a blessing from such a holy prophet. 

So they brought them to Jesus. 

But the disciples did not like them to come ; they 
did not like their Master to be troubled by a lot of 
little children ; and they found fault with the moth- 


230 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


ers, and blamed them, and wanted to send them 
away. But when Jesus saw it, He was much dis- 
pleased. He thought His disciples would have 
known Him better ; and He hoped they would 
have had more of His own spirit of love. So Jesus 
called them to Him, and said to His disciples, — 

“ Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and 
forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom of 
heaven/’ 

And He took them up in His arms, put His hands 
gently on their heads and blessed them. 


CHAPTER XLVL 


MARTHA AND MARY, 



ERY near to Jerusalem there was a village called 


T Bethany, and in that village was a house which 
belonged to a woman called Martha. She was a 
good woman, and she loved the Lord Jesus; and 
whenever He came to Bethany she used to receive 
Him very gladly into her home. 

Now Martha had a sister called Mary, and a 
brother called Lazarus; and they also loved Jesus 
very much, And He loved them : the Bible tells us 
that “ J esus loved Martha, and her sister, and Laza- 


rus. 


MARTHA AND MARY. 


231 


When He went to their house, Martha used 
always to be very busy, preparing the best of every- 
thing for Him. 

One day Jesus came, and Martha, as usual, was 
bustling about to get ready some nice food for her 
holy Guest. While she was doing this, Mary was 
sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His words. 
She did not care to move while He was speaking ; she 
thought she would like to learn at His feet forever. 

But in a short time Martha began to get a little 
cross, as she was making her preparations. She 
was fretting and fussing too much about what she 
was doing ; and when she saw Mary sitting so 
quietly at the Saviour’s feet, she complained about it 
to Jesus, and said, — 

“ Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me 
to serve alone ? ” 

I do not think she really wanted Mary to help 
her, or she would have asked her to do it before ; 
and Mary would never have refused to help. But 
she was just a little worried and cross, and that 
made her speak in this way to Jesus. 

The Lord knew all that was passing in her poor 
troubled heart ; He knew all the real love that she 
felt, and the earnest wish she had to give Him of 
her best; and He knew, too, that she was now a 
little bit out of temper. 

He answered her so kindly ; but He did not tell 
Mary to go and help her ! 


232 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


He said, “ Martha, Martha, you are anxious and 
troubled about many things : but one thing is 
needful : and Mary has chosen that good part 
which shall not be taken from her.” 

He meant to say, that it was better to listen to 
His words than to be so busy (even about good 
things) as to have no time to sit down quietly at 
His feet, and learn the lessons He was teaching. 

It was the winter time, and there was again 
another feast in Jerusalem, called the Feast of 
Dedication. Jesus had been staying in Bethany, 
and now He walked from this little village, and 
from Martha’s house, to go to the Temple in Jeru- 
salem. 

While He was there, the Jews came to Him 
and said, “ How much longer will you make us 
to doubt ? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 

Jesus answered them, “ I have told you, and 
you did not believe : and the works that I do in 
My Father’s name, they tell you that I am 
the Messiah. But you do not believe, because 
you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My 
voice, and I know them, and they follow Me : 
and I give them eternal life. I and My Father 
are one.” 

That means, “ My Father is God, and I am God.’’ 

Then the proud and angry Jews took up stones 
again to throw at Him, but Jesus was not frightened ; 
He said to them, — 



1233 ) 


CHRIST AT MARY AND MARTHA’S, 


234 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


“ I have shown you many good works from My 
Father; for which of those works do you want to 
stone Me ? ” 

The Jews answered, “We do not want to stone 
you for what you have done , but for what you have 
said ; and because you call yourself God.” 

Then they tried to take Him ; but His hour was 
not yet come. So He escaped from them, and left 
Jerusalem once more, and went into the country be- 
yond Jordan, where He was safe from His enemies. 


CHAPTER XLVII. 

LAZARUS RAISED TO LIFE. 

T17IJILE Jesus was staying in that country beyond 
’* Jordan, Lazarus, the brother of Martha and 
Mary, became very ill — so ill that his sisters were 
afraid he was going to die — and in great distress they 
sent a message to the Saviour. 

This was the message : “ Lord, behold he whom 
you love is sick.” 

When Jesus heard this, He sent back his answer 
by the messenger : “ This sickness is not unto death, 
but for the glory of God, and that the Son of God 
should be glorified also.” 

Though Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and 


LAZARUS RAISED TO LIFE. 


235 


Lazarus, yet He did not hurry to Bethany when He 
heard the trouble they were in, but He remained two 
days longer in the same place where He was. 

Was it because He did not care? Oh, no; not 
that : it was because Pie wanted to make them trust 
in Him more, by showing them what He could do. 

How the poor sisters must have watched and longed 
for His coming ! But Jesus did not come ; and Laz- 
arus got worse and worse, till at last he died. 

When two days had passed away, Jesus said to 
His disciples, “ Let us go to Bethany again.” 

You remember I told you that Bethany was quite 
close to Jerusalem ; and so, when the disciples heard 
Him saj T He was going there once more, they were 
frightened about it, for their Lord’s sake ; and they 
said to Him, — 

“ Master, the Jews tried to stone you such a little 
time ago, and are you going back there again ?” 

Jesus said to them, “ Our friend Lazarus is sleep- 
ing ; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.’ , 

Then his disciples said, a Lord, if he is sleeping he 
will get well.” 

But Jesus meant that he was dead ; and His dis- 
ciples thought He meant that Lazarus was really rest- 
ing and sleeping in his bed. 

So, now, Jesus told them plainly, “ Lazarus is dead. 
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, 
so that you may believe ; but now let us go to him” 

Then Thomas said to the other disciples, “The 


236 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Jews are sure to kill our Master; but we will go too, 
that we may die with Him.” 

When Jesus got near to Bethany, some one told 
Martha that He was coming, and she ran quickly to 
meet Him ; but Mary sat still in the house. 

Then Martha said to J esus, “Lord, if you had been 
here, my brother would not have died.” 

Jesus said to her, “ Your brother shall rise again.” 

Martha answered, “ Yes, I know that he will rise 
again at the last day, when all the dead peoj)le shall 
rise.” 

But this was not what Jesus meant; so He spoke 
to her again, and told her that He was Himself The 
Life, and that He could give life to those that were 
dead ; and He asked her if she believed this ? 

And Martha answered Him, “ Yes, Lord, I believe 
that you are the Son of God.” 

After that, Jesus asked her where Mary was ; and 
so Martha went back to the house and called her 
sister, secretly, saying, “ The Master is come and calls 
for you.” 

As soon as Mary heard that, she got up quickly 
and went to Him. 

Why did Martha call her sister so secretly ? It 
was because a great many Jews from Jerusalem were 
sitting with them in the house ; and the sisters knew 
how the Jews hated Jesus and wanted to kill Him, 
so they were afraid of letting them know that He 
had come back. 


LAZARUS RAISED TO LIFE. 


237 


The Jews had gone to the house of Martha and 
Mary to comfort them after their brother’s death ; 
for Lazarus had now been dead four days, and he was 
lying in the grave. When the Jews saw Mary jump 
up so quickly and go out, they followed her, saying, — 

“ She is going to the grave to weep there.” 

When Mary came to the place where Jesus was, 
she fell down at his feet, and said to Him just what 
Martha had said, “ Lord, if you had been here, my 
brother would not have died.” 

When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews also 
crying which came with her, He groaned, and was 
much troubled. 

“ Where have you laid him ? ” He asked. 

They said to Him, “ Lord, come and see.” 

Jesus wept. The sight of their grief and sadness 
so touched His heart, that He could not bear to see 
it ; and though He knew He was going to make them 
happy and thankful again, yet, now, while they were 
weeping, He wept too, and the tears ran down His 
cheeks. 

When the Jews saw it, they said, “ See ! how much 
He must have loved His friend.’ And others said, 
“ Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the 
blind, have made Lazarus well again ? ” 

Jesus groaned again. And now by this time they 
had come to the grave. It was in a hole in a rock, 
where they had laid the dead body of Lazarus, and 
a large stone was before the hole. 


238 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Jesus said, “ Take away the stone. ,, 

But now Martha spoke. She thought it would be 
dreadful if the stone were taken away, and she said, 
“ Lord, by this time it is too late, for he has been 
dead four days.” 

Jesus said to her, “ Did I not tell you that if you 
would believe, you should see the glory of God ?” 

Then they took away the stone. And J esus lifted 
up His eyes to heaven, and said, “ Father, I thank 
you that you have heard Me ; and I know that you 
hear Me always.” 

When He had said these words, He cried with a 
loud voice, “ Lazarus, come forth ! ” 

At this moment, while the people were all looking 
in silent awe and wonder at the open grave, Lazarus, 
who had been lying there dead for four days, rose up 
and walked out of it ! His hands and feet were tied 
round with grave-clothes, and a cloth was round his 
face. 

Jesus said, “Undo the clothes, and let him go.” 

How joyful, and how thankful, the sisters were to 
receive their dear brother back to life again ! He 
was not looking weak and pale, as he had done be- 
fore he died, — he was now in sound and perfect health. 

What a wonderful miracle Jesus had done ! Many 
of the Jews which saw it believed on Jesus after that; 
but some of them went to the Pharisees and told 
them what He had done ; and when they heard about 
it, they wanted the more to kill Him. And they 


ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM. 


239 


wanted to kill Lazarus, too, because, owing to him, 
so many people believed in Jesus. 

So the Saviour could not walk about amongst the 
Jews any more after that. He went away to a quiet 
little town near the wilderness, called Ephraim ; and 
there He remained with His disciples till it was time 
to take His last journey to Jerusalem. 


CHAPTER XLVIII. 


ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM. 



FEW quiet weeks of rest had passed away, and 


now the time had come when Jesus must leave 
the little town of Ephraim. As He set out on His 
last journey to Jerusalem, He knew quite well all 
that was going to happen to Him there ; yet He 
steadfastly set His face to go and bear it. 

He walked on in front of His disciples, thinking 
of all the agony and shame that were before Him ; 
yet He was willing, and even eager, to bear the sor- 
row and the pain, because of His great love for sin- 
ful men. As the Twelve followed their loved Master, 
they were amazed and frightened. 

Presently J esus called them to Him, and began to 
explain to them more plainly than He had done be- 
fore, all that He was to suffer. He told them that lie 


V, 240 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOU1 JESUS. 


would be betrayed into the hands of the chief priests 
and scribes, and that they would condemn Him to 
death, and mock Him, and beat Him with whips, and 
spit upon Him, and, at last, crucify Him. And the 
third day He would rise again. 

It seems so strange that when their Lord had told 
them this, they could have thought of themselves at 
all ; but just at this very time, two of the disciples — 
James and John — made a request which showed 
that great selfishness was still in their hearts, and 
that they were thinking a great deal about them- 
selves They seemed quite to have forgotten what 
Jesus had taught them but a very short time be- 
fore ; and they wanted to be first again. 

They came to Jesus and said, “ Master, we want 
you to do something for us, that we are going to ask.” 

Jesus said, “ What is it you want Me to do for 
you ?” 

They answered, “ Grant that we may sit, one on 
your right hand and the other on your left, in your 
glory.” 

But Jesus said to them, “ You do not know what 
you are asking. Can you bear all the suffering that 
I am going to endure ?” 

They said to Him, “ We can.” 

Jesus answered, “You shall indeed bear sorrow 
and pain like Me ; but to sit on My right hand and 
on My left, is only for those for whom My Father 
has prepared it.” 


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ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM. 


241 


When the ten heard what James and John had 
been saying, they were very angry with the two 
brothers. 

But J esus began to teach them again, as he had 
done before, that the way to be really great is to be 
humble and unselfish ; even as He himself had come, 
not to be waited on, but to serve others, and to 
give His own Life that He might save men from 
Satan. 

While they were still on their way, walking and 
talking, they came to a town called Jericho. And a 
certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. A 
great crowd of people had begun to follow Jesus by 
this time ; and as the blind man heard the tramp of 
so many feet passing, he asked what it meant. 

And they told him that “ Jesus of Nazareth pass- 
eth by.” 

Then he cried out, “ Jesus, Son of David, have 
mercy on me !” 

When he called Jesus the Son of David, he showed 
that he believed Him to be the Messiah. 

But the people blamed him for crying out, and 
told him to be quiet. However, he cried so much 
the more, “ 0 Son of David, have mercy on me !” 

Then Jesus stood still and told the people to bring 
the blind man to Him. And they went to him and 
said, “ Be of good comfort, rise ! He calls you.” 

So the blind man got up quickly and came t@ 
Jesus. 

lb 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then the Saviour asked him, “ What do you wish 
Me to do for you ?” 

The blind man said, “ Lord, that I may receive 
my sight.” 

And Jesus said, “ Receive your sight : your faith 
has saved you.” And immediately he received his 
sight, and followed Jesus, praising and blessing 
God. 

In that same town of Jericho lived a man, whose 
name was Zacchaeus. He was a publican — a man 
who collected money for the king — and he was very 
rich. But he had not made his money honestly. 
When he was collecting for the king he collected a 
great deal for himself, and made himself rich by 
cheating poor people and robbing them of money. 

Well, this man wished very much to see Jesus as 
he was passing through ; but he could not, for so 
many people were round Him, and Zacchaeus was a 
very little man. So he ran on in front and climbed 
up into a tree to see Him : for he knew that Jesus 
was to pass that way. 

When the Lord came to the place He looked up 
and saw him ; and He called him by name, saying, 
“ Zacchaeus, make haste and come down ; for to-day 
I must stay in your house.” 

What a surprise this was for Zacchaeus ! He had 
not expected to be noticed at all, and now Jesus is 
actually going to his house, though he is a despised 
and hated publican. Feeling how greatly he was 


ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM. 


243 


honored by the Holy Prophet, he made haste and 
came down from the tree, and received Him joyfully. 

But now the people began to murmur when they 
saw where Jesus had gone. It was the old com- 
plaint . “ He is gone to be a guest with a man that 
is a sinner.” 

But Jesus came to seek and to save sinners. He 
knew that the heart of Zacchacus was not quite hard 
and bad ; and that love and kindness would win him 
to a better life. 

And so it was. For while Jesus was sitting in his 
house, the rich publican repented of all his wicked 
cheating ways, and determined to live honestly in 
the future. He stood up and told Jesus what he was 
going to do. He had taken a great deal of money 
from the poor, and now he was sorry for it, and 
said, — 

“ Lord, I will give half of my goods to the poor ; 
and to those people whom I have cheated I will give 
four times as much as I have robbed them of.” 

And Jesus was pleased. He saw that Zacchaeus 
was in earnest, and that he was a changed man. So 
he said, — 

“ This day is salvation come to this house.” 

The Holy Spirit was now in the publican’s heart ; 
and Jesus gave him everlasting life. 


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TALKS TO CHILD HEN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER XLIX. 

JUDAS. 

T1HE Lord Jesus had now come to Bethany again, 
on His wa y to Jerusalem ; and He went into 
Marthas house. How joyfully they must have wel- 
comed the blessed Saviour, who had done such great 
things for them, and who had made their home so 
happy once more by raising their brother Lazarus 
from the dead! 

It was the Sabbath evening when He and His dis- 
ciples arrived there; and the brother and sisters 
made Him a supper. 

Now a great many of the Jews knew that Jesus 
was there ; and they came to Martha’s house too, 
not only to see Him, but that they might see Laza- 
rus also, who had been dead, but was now alive 
again. 

As usual, Martha prepared the evening meal and 
waited upon her guests ; but Lazarus sat at the table 
with Jesus. 

And what did Mary do ? She loved the Lord so 
much that she wanted to do something to show her 
love. She had a box of very expensive and very 
precious ointment ; and she took this alabaster box 
and broke it, and poured the precious ointment over 


JUDAS. 


245 


His head and feet as he sat at supper; and then she 
wiped His feet with her hair. And the whole house 
was filled with the delicious perfume. 

But there was one sitting at the table who could 
not bear to see what Mary had done- — it was that 
wicked, covetous Judas. He loved money better 
than he loved his Master — better than he loved any- 
thing in the world; and now he asked, in great 
displeasure, — 

“ Why was this waste of the ointment made ? 
Why was it not sold? We might have got three 
hundred pence for it” (that is about ten pounds), 
“ and then we could have given the money to the 
poor.” 

Judas did not really care for the poor; but he was 
a thief, and he wanted the money that he might 
keep it for himself. All the disciples used to keep 
their money in one bag, and they gave this bag to 
Judas to take care of; but he used to steal some of 
the money out of it. Yet no one knew that he was 
a thief except Jesus. 

When the Lord heard him complaining of what 
Mary had done, He said to him, “ Let her alone ; 
why do you trouble her? for she has done a good 
work on Me. For you have the poor always with 
you, and whenever you like you may do them good ; 
but you have not Me with you always ” 

And then Jesus said to them all, u Truly I say 
unto you that wherever this Gospel shall be preached 


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in tlie whole world, this story of what she has done 
shall be told too.” 

But the love of money was so strong in the selfish, 
greedy heart of Judas, that he was willing to com- 
mit any sin to get it. And now Satan entered into 
his heart, and made him think a horrible thought. , 
He knew that the chief priests were wanting to kill 
his Master, and he felt sure that they would give 
him some money if he told them how they might 
take Him without the people knowing, and without 
any noise being made. 

Oh, why did Judas listen to Satan’s dreadful 
whispers ? Why did he not pray to God to help him 
to cast the devil out, and to make his heart clean 
again ? But no ; instead of doing that, he was in a 
hurry to do the devil’s will ; he went away from 
Bethany that very night, and walked to Jerusalem to 
find the chief priests. Then he said to them, — 

“ What will you give me if I deliver Him up to 
you?” 

The proud priests and Pharisees were very glad to 
find that one of the Twelve was willing to help them 
to take Jesus; so they made a bargain to give him 
thirty pieces of silver — that is nearly four pounds. 

Then J udas promised to betray his Lord ; and 
from that time he was watching for an opportunity 
to deliver him into the hands of his enemies. 


A DAY OF TRIUMPH. 


247 


CHAPTER L. 

A DAY OF TRIUMPH. 

TRIE day after that supper, when Mary poured the 
A precious ointment over the Saviour’s feet, Jesus 
left Bethany to go to Jerusalem. He had not much 
longer to live now; in five days He would be hang- 
ing on the Cross. But He had a great deal yet to 
do before He laid down His pure and holy life. 

When they had gone a little way out of Bethany 
Jesus said to two of His disciples, “ Go into the vil- 
lage a little further on, and as soon as you have got 
there you will find a young ass tied, on which no 
one has ever sat : loose him and bring him to me. 
And if any one shall say to you, Why are you doing 
this ? you shall answer, The Lord has need of him ; 
and he will let you take him at once/’ 

So the disciples went as they were told, and every- 
thing happened just as Jesus had said. They found 
the colt tied by a door ; and as they were loosing 
him some people said, “ Why are you taking the colt 
away ? ” 

The disciples answered, “ The Lord wants him.” 
And they brought the colt to Jesus. 

Now a great many people had heard that the Pro- 
phet of Nazareth was coming to Jerusalem ; and they 
went in crowds to meet Him, carrying palm-branches 
in their hands. Then they spread their garments on 
the young ass and set Jesus upon him ; and they also 


248 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


spread their clothes on the ground, and cut down 
branches from the trees and scattered them along 
the way for Jesus to pass over. And the whole 
multitude began to rejoice, and to praise God with 
a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen. 



A VIEW IN JERUSALEM. 


They said, “ Hosanna ! blessed is the King who 
comes in the name of the Lord.” 

Some of the Pharisees were amongst the crowd, and 
they did not at all like to hear the people praising 
Jesus and calling Him King; so they said, “Master, 
rebuke your disciples — don’t let them say this.” 



JESUS ENTERING JERUSALEM. ( 248 $) 



































































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A DAY OF TRIUMPH, \ 


249 


But Jesus would not stop them. 

And now, as they had got to the top of the hill, 
all at once they saw the beautiful city lying before 
them; and as Jesus looked down upon it, He wept. 
They were not silent tears, such as He shed at the 
grave of Lazarus ; now the Saviour wept bitterly — 
He wept aloud. 

Why did He weep ? was it at the thought of all 
the dreadful suffering He would have to bear there, 
in a few days? No; it was not for Himself He 
wept, but for the people who were living in that 
place which was called the holy city,” though it was 
so unholy. He had taught there, He had preached, 
He had done miracles, but they would not receive 
Him ; He had often longed to gather the children to- 
gether, as a hen gathers her chickens under her 
wings, but the people would not let Him; and now 
they were going to kill Him; and He knew that 
God would severely punish that wicked city, for 
shedding the blood of His well-beloved Son. 

The Saviour knew all this ; and it was for their 
sorrows — not for His own — that He shed those holy 
tears of deep compassion 

Jerusalem was very full of people at that time, for 
the Passover was close at hand, and they had come 
from all parts of the country to keep the feast ; and 
now, as Jesus came into the city riding on the ass. 
and accompanied by such a crowd praising God, the 
people wondered and asked, “ Who is this ? ” 


250 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS 


And the multitude answered, “This is Jesus, the 
Prophet of Nazareth.” 

Then Jesus went into the Temple. And what did 
He see there? Just the same disgraceful scenes 
that made Him so angry three years before. There 
were the cattle that were to be killed at the Passover 
in the large outer court of God’s house — there were 
the cages of doves — there were the tables of the 
money-changers. 

Jesus could not endure to see it all, and He would 
not suffer them to remain there ; so again He drove 
them all out, both the cattle, and those who bought 
and sold them ; and He upset the tables of the money- 
changers, and threw down the seats of those who 
sold the doves. 

“ It is written, My house shall be called the house 
of prayer,” He said ; “ but you have made it a den 
of thieves.” 

When He had thus cleansed the house of God — 
His own house for the second time, the blind and the 
lame came to Him there, and He healed them. 

And the little children began to sing praises to 
Him, and to say, “ Hosanna to the Son of David.” 

But when the chief priests and scribes heard them 
they were exceedingly displeased, and they said to 
Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” 

And Jesus said, “ Yes. God accepts the praises 
of even little infants.” 

Jesus liked to listen to their little voices, and He 



THE GOOD SHEPHERD 


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252 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS . 


would not tell them to be silent ; for He loved little 
children then , and He loves them now. 

When it was evening, Jesus went out of the city, 
back to Bethany again, and lodged there. And the 
Twelve were with Him ; even the traitor Judas, who 
was only thinking all the time how he might help 
the chief priests to take his Master, that so he might 
get the thirty pieces of silver for himself. 


CHAPTER LI. 

THE LAST SUPPER. — I. 

f^OR two days more Jesus taught in the Temple; 
^ and all that time the chief priests, the rulers, 
and the scribes, were trying how they might destroy 
Him ; but they did not know how to manage it, for 
all the people were very attentive to hear Him. 

Then came the day when the Passover Feast 
began ; and Jesus said to Peter and John, — “ Go and 
prepare a supper that we may eat the Passover.” 

But they said to Him, — “ Where do you wish us 
to prepare it?” for they did not know of any house 
in Jerusalem where they might go. 

Jesus, said to them, — u Go into the city, and you 
shall meet a servant carrying a pitcher — or large jug 
— of water : follow him into the house. And you 



THE LAST SUPPER 






254 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


shall say to the man who owns that house, 6 The 
Master says to you, Where is the room where I shall 
eat the passover with my disciples ? ’ And he will 
show you a large room upstairs ; there make ready.” 

So Peter and John went to Jerusalem, and they 
saw the man carrying a pitcher, just as Jesus had 
said ; and they followed him into the house, and 
asked the master of that house to show them a room 
where they might prepare a supper for their Lord. 

Then he took them upstairs, and showed them a 
large room, where was a table with seats all around 
it; and there Peter and John got everything ready. 

When it was evening, Jesus came to that house 
with His twelve disciples ; and they went upstairs, 
and all sat down. It was a very sad, and a very 
solemn time ; for this was the last meal Jesus would 
eat before His death ; and as they placed themselves 
at the table, He said to them, — 

“ I have greatly longed to eat this passover with 
you before I suffer.” 

But even here, and at such a solemn time as this, 
the disciples again began to quarrel and dispute 
amongst themselves, which should be the greatest ! 
They were proud and selfish still ; and so slow to 
learn the lessons that their gracious Lord was always 
teaching them. 

Before , He reproved them by gentle words : but 
now He taught them by loving deeds. 

You must remember that in that hot country peo- 


THE LAST SUPPER. 


255 


pie used to wear sandals, and not boots and shoes ; 
and the feet used to get very dusty and uncomforta- 
ble after walking ; so, in every house a basin and 
water were provided, that people might have their 
feet washed when they took off their sandals before 
sitting down to their meals. 

In this large upper room where Jesus was now, 
the basin and the water were all in readiness ; but 
there were no servants to wash their feet for them. 
So, what did J esus do ? 

Though He was God’s own Son, He took the ser- 
vant’s place. He rose up from supper, and took 
a towel, and tied it round His waist. Then He 
poured some water in a basin, and stooped down, 
and began to wash His disciples’ feet, and to wipe 
them with a towel.* 

The Apostles would not have done this for each 
other; they were too proud and jealous. But what 
must they have thought — how ashamed they must 
have felt — when their Lord, the Messiah Himself, 
could so humble Himself for their sakes ! I 
think they must have felt too full of shame and 
wonder just at first to say a word; but when Jesus 
came to Peter, he could not help asking in great 
surprise, — 

♦That the washing of the disciples’ feet took place before, and not 
after the meal, is evident. “The words ‘Supper being ended/ in 
John, xiii. 2, are a mistranslation, and should be, ‘ Supper being 
ready * or ‘ having come ; 9 the Greek word is the same as is used by 
Matthew to express ‘ when the evening was come? ” — Eugene Stock. 



he began to wash his discipees’ feet. 








THE LAST SUPPER. 


257 


“ Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 

Jesus answered, “ You do not understand now 
what I am doing ; but I will explain it to you pres- 
ently.” 

Peter said, “ You shall never wash my feet.” 

But Jesus answered, “ If I do not wash you, you 
cannot belong to Me.” 

It was very dreadful to Peter to think that he 
could not belong to Jesus ; and he said so earnest- 
ly, “ Lord, wash my hands and my head, as well as 
my feet.” 

Jesus said, “ He who is bathed only needs to 
have his feet washed, for he is quite clean. And 
you, My disciples, are clean ; but not all of you.” 

Jesus meant that He had made their hearts 
clean, and had washed their sins away. But the 
heart of Judas was black, and full of sin, and that 
is why Jesus said, “ You are not all clean.” 

So after He had washed their feet, and taken off 
the towel from His waist, and had sat down at 
the table again, He began to explain to them 
why He had done this. 

He said, “ Do you understand what I have been 
doing ? You call Me Master, and Lord : and you 
say well; for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and 
Master, have washed your feet, you ought also to 
wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an 
example, that you should do as I have done to 


17 


258 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Ah! I think they began to understand now, 
that if they would be like their Lord, unselfish, 
loving and humble, there would never again be any 
dispute amongst them as to which should be the 
greatest. 


CHAPTER LII. 

THE EAST SUPPER. — II. 

rPHEY were still at supper — Jesus and His twelve 
disciples — when the Lord began to be much 
troubled and very sad. He was thinking of Judas, 
the traitor, to whom He had been so loving and 
kind ; to whom He had given power to heal the sick 
and cast out devils ; who had been with Him so 
long, and whom He had called His friend; and 
He could not help grieving as He thought of his 
unkindness and hypocrisy, and of the awful sin 
he was going to commit. 

At last Jesus began to speak about it. He said, 
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you will 
betray Me, and will give Me up to the chief priests 
to be killed.” 

At these words, all the disciples (except Judas) 
were greatly shocked, and very sorrowful ; and they 
looked round at each other, wondering of whom He 
spoke. And one by one they began asking Jesus,— 

“ Lord, is it I ? ” But Jesus did not answer. 


VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT ONE OF YOU WILL BETRAY ME, AND WILL GIVE ME UP 

TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BE KILLED. ” ( 258 -£) 















































































































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THE LAST SUPPER. 


259 


Now John was sitting next to Jesus, with his head 
leaning on the Saviour’s bosom ; and Jesus loved 
John more than all the others. So Peter made a 
sign to him that he should ask their Lord who it was 
that would do this dreadful thing. 

Then John, lying on Jesus’ breast, whispered, and 
said to Him, “ Lord, who is it ? ” 

And Jesus replied in the same low whisper, “He 



RECLINING AT MEATS. 


to whom I shall give a morsel of bread, when I have 
dipped it.” 

Then Jesus took a slice of bread, and dipped it in 
a dish of sauce that was on the table, and gave it to 
Judas. So John knew now who it was that was so 
wicked; but no one else knew, except, perhaps, 
Peter. 

And after the sop, Satan entered into Judas, and 


260 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


never left him again! It almost seems as if the 
Saviour could no longer bear to have that false and 
faithless apostle in the room, for now He said to 
him, — 

“ Do quickly what you are going to do.” 

Then Judas got up, immediately after he had eaten 
the sop that Jesus had given him, and went out. 
And none of the others knew why Jesus had said 
this to him : they thought that perhaps He had told 
him to buy something for the feast, or to give some- 
thing to the poor ; for, you remember, I told you that 
Judas kept the bag in which was all the money that be- 
longed to Jesus and the other disciples. 

But where did J udas go ? He went to the chief 
priests and scribes, to ask them to send some men 
with him to take his Master. 

Before the supper was ended, Jesus took bread, 
and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave it to the 
disciples, saying, “ This is My body, which is given 
for you ; eat this, and think of Me.” Afterwards 
He took the cup, and poured out some wine, and gave 
it to them, saying, “ This is My blood, which is shed 
for you : drink this, and think of Me.” 

Jesus did not mean that the bread and wine were 
really His body and blood ; but He wished to teach 
them, that just as the bread had been broken, and 
the wine poured out, so His body would be broken, 
and His blood poured out for them, and for all sinful 
men. 


THE LAST SUPPER. 


261 


After that they sang a hymn ; and then they all 
left that large upper room, and went out of the house, 
through the streets, towards the Mount of Olives. 
As they walked along, Jesus said to them, — 

“ You will all leave Me to-night. I shall be taken, 
and you will all go, and leave Me alone.” 

Then Peter said, “ Lord, I shall never leave you. 
I am ready to go with you both to prison and to 
death.” 

Jesus said to him, “ I tell you, Peter, that this 
night, before the cock crows, you will say three times 
that you do not know Me.” 

Peter could not believe that he would be so 
wicked, and he said very earnestly, “If 1 should 
die with you, I will never say that I do not know 
you.” 

And so said all the disciples ; but they did not know 
themselves as well as their Lord knew them ! 

Then Jesus began talking so very kindly to them. 
He said, “ I am going away from you, but do not let 
your hearts be troubled. I am going to heaven to 
prepare a place for you ; and when I have prepared 
a place for you, I will come again and take jmu to 
Myself, that you may be with me always. 

“ I will not leave you without comfort; my Father 
will send you the Holy Spirit ; and I will give you 
My peace, which is better than anything the world 
can give you. And now I give you a commandment, 
and that is, that you love one another as I have 


262 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


loved you. You are my friends , if you do what I 
command you. 

“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever you 
shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to 
you. For the Father Himself loves you, because 
you have loved Me, and have believed tha.t I came 
from God.” 

After these loving words, Jesus prayed to God ; 
and it was such a tender, beautiful prayer. He prayed 
for His disciples, that they might be kept from all 
the evil that is in the world, and that they might be 
made holy. And He prayed also for all those all 
over the world, who should believe on Him in the 
years to come. 

So we know that our blessed Lord will pray for us 
too, if we love Him, and believe His holy word. 


CHAPTER LIII. 

IN THE GARDEN. 

TT was night, and by the time Jesus had finished 
talking with His disciples, they had come to a 
pleasant, quiet spot, called Gethsemane. It was agar- 
den, and was about half a mile beyond the city. Jesus 
used often to go there with the Twelve ; and wicked 
Judas also knew the place well, and it was to this 


IN THE GARDEN. 


263 


garden, this very night, he was going to bring the 
men to take Jesus, 

And now the Saviour said to His disciples, “ Sit 
down here, while I go and pray a little further on/' 
But He took with Him Peter, and James, ana 
John (the three who had seen His glory in the Mount, 
when He was transfigured before them, were to see 



GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE- 


also His agony in the garden), and He began to be 
sorrowful and very much distressed. 

“ I am exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death,” 
Jesus said to them ; “ stay here and watch with Me ; 
and pray while I am praying.” 

And He went a little farther, and fell on His face 
and prayed, saying, “ Father, if you are willing, re- 
move this dreadful burden from Me ; but let it be as 
you will, not as 1 will.” 



1 264) 


GETHSEMANE 





IN THE GARDEN. 


265 


What was the burden that He found so dreadful ? 
Was it the thought of the cruel death He was so 
soon to die ? No ; it was the burden of sin He found 
so very agonizing — so very terrible. You remember, 
I have told you before, that Jesus came to bear our 
sins, and sorrows, and weaknesses; and He came 
also to bear the punishment of our sins His own self, 
in His own body, on the cross. 

So it was the burden of our sins that caused Him 
such awful suffering in the garden, and almost killed 
Him.* And now Satan came to Him again to tempt 
Him ; and the Saviour s heart was almost broken. 
No one before, or since, has ever suffered so much as 
the Saviour suffered then. 

When Jesus had prayed, He came back to the three 
disciples, to see if they were thinking of Him, and 
were watching with Him. But they were fast asleep ! 
Then He said to Peter, “ What, are you sleeping ? 
Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and 
pray, that you do not fall into sin.” 

And He went away again the second time, and 
prayed to His Father to help Him in His great sor- 
row. Then He came again to His disciples, but they 
were again asleep ; for their eyes were heavy ; and 
they, too, were very sad. 

This time Jesus did not wake them. He left 
them, and went away again ; and being in an agony 
He prayed more earnestly ; and He was so unhappy 
* “ Even unto death.” 


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TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 



that drops of blood came out on His face and fell down 
to the ground. But He ended His prayer (as He 
had ended it each time before) by saying, “ Father, 
let Your will, not Mine, be done. ,, 

Did His Father help Him? Yes; God sent an 
angel down to Him, to strengthen and to comfort 
Him. 


VIEW OF THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. 

And when He rose up from prayer, He went to 
His disciples, who were still sleeping, and said to 
them, “ The hour is come, and the Son of man is be- 
trayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, for Judas, 
who betrays Me, is quite near.” 

And immediately, while He was yet speaking, 




IN THE GARDEN. 


267 


came Judas, and with Him a great multitude, with 
swords, and sticks, and lanterns, from the chief 
priests and Pharisees. These men did not know 
Jesus by sight; so Judas had given them a sign by 
which they might know Him. He said to them, — 
“The one that I shall kiss is Jesus; mind you 
hold him fast and lead him away safely.” 

So Judas hurried into the garden, and went up to 



THE BETRAYAL. 


Jesus, and said, “Master, Master,” and kissed 
Him. 

But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying 
the Son of man with a kiss ?” 

The other people had not yet come up, and Jesus, 
knowing everything that was going to happen, went 
to meet them, and then He asked them, “ For whom 
are you looking?” 

They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 


268 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

Jesus said unto them, “ I am He.” 

As soon as He had said to them, “ I am He,” they 
all went backward and fell to the ground. They 
could not help it ; it was a power from God that 
made them fall down before His well-beloved Son. 

Then again Jesus asked them, “For whom are 
you looking ?” 

And they said, “ Jesus of Nazareth.” 

Jesus answered, “ I have told you that I am He ; 
so if you want Me, let My disciples go away 
safely.” 

But Peter had a sword, and he wanted to fight ; 
he struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his 
ear. Then Jesus said to Peter, — 

“ Put away your sword again. Do you think that 
My Father would not send many thousands of angels 
to help Me, if I were to pray to Him for them ?” 

And Jesus put out his hand and touched the man’s 
ear, and healed him. Is it not beautiful to see how 
He thought of others, and did deeds of kindness, and 
love, and mercy to the end ? 

And Jesus said to the chief priests and captains 
who were come to take Him, “ Are you come out as 
against a thief, with swords and sticks to take Me ? 
I was with you every day in the Temple teaching, 
and you did not touch me there; but this is your 
hour, and the power of darkness.” 

Then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled 
Peter, James, and John, and all the others ran away. 


CHRIST IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE JUST BEFORE THE ARREST. (269) 



270 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

and left their blessed Master in the hands of His 
cruel enemies, who hated Him. 

And the wicked people bound the Saviour’s hands 
with ropes, and led Him out of the garden, back to 
Jerusalem. 


CHAPTER LIY. 

PETER’S DENIAL. 

TT was already midnight when the band of officers 
^ and servants hurried Jesus away from the Garden 
of Gethsemane. They took Him straight to the pal- 
ace of the high priest, where they were all sitting up, 
longing for Jesus to be brought in ; and a great many 
of the chief priests, and elders, and scribes, were 
there also. 

At last the soldiers and servants came in, bringing 
Jesus with them, with His hands tied behind his 
back ; and all the wicked people were very glad to 
see Him in their power. 

They at once began to ask Him questions, that 
they might try and find some excuse for putting Him 
to death ; and the high priest asked Him about His 
disciples, and what He had taught. 

J esus answered, “ I have always taught openly in 
the world, and in the Temple before the Jews; why 
do you not ask those who heard Me, what I said to 
them ? for they know what I said.” 



BEHOLD TIIE MAN. (271) 




272 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then a rude, wicked man struck the holy Saviour 
with his hand, and said roughly, “ Why do you 
speak to the high priest like that ?” 

Was Jesus angry? 

No ; He bore it so meekly. He only said, “ If I 
have spoken wrongly, tell me about it ; but if well, 
why do you strike me ?” 

Then the high priest asked Him, “ Are you the 
Christ, the Son of God ?” 

Jesus answered, “ I am, and one day you will see 
me coming in the clouds with the holy angels.” 

Then the high priest said, “ Hear how wickedly 
He talks ! He calls Himself the Son of God ; what 
ought to be done to Him ?” 

And all the people answered, “ He ought to be 
killed” 

After that they began to treat Him shamefully. 
They spit in His holy face, they struck Him with 
rods and hit him with their fists, and they mocked 
Him, and laughed at Him. They tied a cloth over 
his eyes and then they struck Him on the face, and 
the servants slapped Him and pushed Him about, 
and spoke rudely and wickedly to Him. 

And Jesus bore it all, because He loved us so much. 

But where were the disciples all this time ? 

I told you that when their blessed Master was 
taken, and when the soldiers had tied His hands be- 
hind Him, the eleven apostles were so frightened 
that they ran away and left Him. They had said 


PETERS DENIAL. 


273 


that they would die with Him, and that they would 
never leave Him ; yet see how soon they forgot their 
promises, and only thought of saving themselves ! 

But presently two of them — Peter and John — be- 
gan to be ashamed of having left their dear Lord ; 
and they wanted, too, to know what was going to be 
done to Him; so they followed Jesus (keeping a 
long way behind) into the high priest’s grand house 
or palace. 

It was a very cold, frosty night, and all the serv- 
ant of the high priests and the soldiers were sitting 
or standing round the fire ; and when Peter came in 
he sat down with them and warmed himself. We 
are not told where John was ; but very likely he^ 
went into the inner room, where Jesus was, that he 
might hear all that was being said to his dear Master. 

As Peter was sitting by the fire, a maid looked at 
him very earnestly, and said, — 

“ You are one of Jesus’ disciples.” 

But Peter was afraid to say he belonged to J esus ; 
he was afraid to tell the truth, and so he said, “ No 
I am not His disciple ; I do not know Him.” 

He felt very unhappy, and very much frightened; 
and after he had told this sad untruth before them 
all, he got up, and went outside the door. 

And now another maid saw him, and said, “ I am 
quite sure this fellow was with Jesus.” 

But Peter told a lie again. He spoke angrily and 
said, “ I tell you I don’t know the man.” 

18 


274 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Then Peter went hack to the fire again, and after 
some time, a man said to him, “ Did I not see you in 
the garden with J esus ?” 

And now Peter began to use bad words, and to 
say, “ I don’t know what you mean ! I tell you I 
don’t know the man you are talking about !” 

And that moment the cock crew. 

Through an open door Jesus could be seen stand- 
ing before the proud and wicked men, and now, as 
soon as Peter had heard the cock crow, he looked 
quickly up at J esus, and the Lord turned and looked 
at Peter. 

It was a look of such love, and yet of sorrow, and 
of pity too. It seemed to say, “ Is this My friend 
who said he would die for Me ?” Jesus loved Peter 
so much that it pained Him to hear him say he did 
not know his Master ; but J esus knew how sorry 
Peter would be for it afterwards, and this was why 
He felt so much pity for him. 

When Peter saw his Lord look at him so lovingly 
and so sadly, he felt as if his heart would break. 
He remembered how Jesus had said to him, only a 
few hours before, “ I tell you, Peter, this night, before 
the cock crows, you will say three times that you do 
not know Me,” and as Peter thought of this, he went 
out of the house and wept bitterly. 

He was ashamed of his wickedness and cowardice ; 
and oh ! he was so very, very sorry that he had de- 
nied his blessed Master, and had said he did not 


JESUS BEFORE PILATE. 


275 


know Him. For Peter did indeed love Him dearly, 
but Satan had tempted him to be so naughty and un- 
kind. 


CHAPTER LV. 

JESUS BEFORE PILATE. 

A LL through that dreadful night the Saviour had 
^ no rest from His enemies. Till the morning 
came, they never ceased to torment, and ill-treat, 
and mock Him. They were impatient to have Him 
killed, but they could not put Him to death without 
the consent of Pontius Pilate, the Governor, and 
they could not go to his house yet, because he would 
not be up. 

However, as soon as it was morning, and they 
knew that Pilate would be sitting on his judgment- 
seat, and ready to receive them, the chief priests and 
scribes, and a number of people took Jesus with them 
to Pilate’s house, and the Saviour was led into the 
judgment-hall ; but all His enemies remained outside. 

When Pilate looked at Jesus and saw that pure 
and holy face, he could not believe that He had ever 
done anything wrong ; so he went outside and said 
to the people, — 

“ What has he done?” 

They answered, “He calls Himself Christ, a King, 
and He ought to die.” 



CHRIST LEAVING THE PRA5TORIUM. ( 276 ) 



JESUS BEFORE PILATE. 


277 


Pilate was surprised to hear this. He went back 
into the judgment-hall, where Jesus was meekly 
standing. There He was, a prisoner, with His hands 
fast tied behind Him ; on His face were the marks of 
the blows He had received, and the shameful spitting 
that He could not wipe away : could this meek suf- 
ferer be a king ? 

“ Are you a king ?” Pilate asked. 

Jesus said, “I am; but My kingdom is not of this 
world.” 

Pilate then went out to the people again, and said, 
“ I find no fault at all.” 

But the people were very fierce and angry ; they 
cried out, “ He goes all about the country teaching, 
and He stirs up the people. He must be crucified.” 

When Pilate saw how the people hated Him, he 
was willing to content them; and so, though he 
knew the blessed Saviour was without fault, yet he 
gave Him up to some soldiers to be cruelly beaten 
with knotted ropes. This was a very dreadful pun- 
ishment, and was called scourging ; and often people 
died while they were being scourged, because of the 
intense pain. 

After they had scourged Jesus, the soldiers put a 
purple robe over His bleeding back, pretending to 
dress Him like a king ; then they platted a crown of 
thorns and pressed it down on His head till the blood 
ran down His face ; for the thorns were sharp like 
pins. Then they mocked Him, and said, — 


278 TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 

"Hail, King of the Jews !” 

After that they spit on Him, and struck Him on 
the head with a stick. 

Pilate was an unjust judge, and very wicked to 
let an innocent man be so shamefully treated ; but 
he could not help being sorry for the Holy One who 
bore it all without a murmur, and he wanted to save 
Him from being killed. 

Pie thought that if he showed Him to the people 
now, all bleeding, and tortured, and worn out with 
the torments He had endured for so many hours, 
that they would be satisfied, and would not wish to 
put Him to any more pain. So Pilate sent out and 
said to them, — 

“ See, I bring Him out to you that you may know 
L find no fault in Him.” 

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of 
thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to 
them, “ Behold the man ! ” 

But when the chief priests and officers saw Him, 
had they any pity ? 

No. They were like savage beasts. They cried 
out, — 

“ Away with Him ! Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! ” 

Pilate said, “ You take Him, then, and crucify 
Him, for I find no fault in Him.” 

The Jews answered, “ We have a law, and by our 
law He ought to die, because He calls Himself the 
Son of God.” 



ON THE ROAD TO CALVARY, (279) 


» 



280 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


When Pilate heard that, he was afraid. He went 
back into the judgment-hall, and said to Jesus, 
“ Where do you come from ? 99 

But the Saviour gave him no answer. 

Then Pilate said, “ Why do you not speak to me ? 
Don’t you know that I have power to crucify you, 
and I have power to let you go free ? ” 

Jesus answered, “ You could have no power at all 
over Me unless it were given you by God ; therefore, 
he that delivered Me up to you has the greater sin.” 

From that time Pilate tried all he could to release 
J esus ; but the people cried out the more violent- 

“ Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! 99 

“ What I shall I crucify your King ? ” Pilate 
asked. 

“ He is not our King ! ” they shouted. 

And Pilate was afraid of displeasing the people — 
he was afraid to be just ; he knew that Jesus had 
done no wrong, yet because the people would not be 
satisfied until they had killed Him, he at last gave 
Jesus up to them to be crucified- 



THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB 


( 281 ) 



282 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER LYI. 

THE DEATH OF JUDAS. 

TUDAS had betrayed his gracious Master — had sold 
^ Him — for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus was 
going to be put to a most cruel and shameful death, 
and Judas was one of those who had helped the 
wicked people to take Him. Was Judas happy now? 

He had got the money for which he had committed 
such a horrible sin ; was he contented with his bar- 
gain ? He had served his real master, the devil, very 
faithfully ; did he find him as kind and gentle as the 
holy Saviour? 

Oh, no; Satan is a hard and cruel master. He 
likes to lead people into sin and suffering; he likes 
to tempt them to do wickedly, and then he is glad 
when they are miserable, and driven to despair. 

So it was with Judas. When he saw that Jesus 
was condemned to death, he repented of what he had 
done ; the thirty silver pieces had brought him no 
happiness — he hated the sight of them. 

“ Oh, how I wish I had never taken that money! ” 
he thought ; “ how I wish I had never betrayed my 
Lord, and had not let the soldiers into the garden to 
take Him.” 

He felt he could not keep the money ; he could not 
Dear to touch it, because he had done such a wicked 


THE DEA TH OF JUDAS . 


28 o 

thing to get it ; so lie took the thirty pieces of silver 
to the chief priests and elders in the Temple, and 
said to them, — 

“ I have sinned — I have done very wickedly — be- 
cause I have betrayed my good and innocent Master.’’ 

They answered him scornfully : “ What is that to 
us ? That is your affair, not ours.” 

They saw how miserably wretched the poor traitor 
was, but they did not feel the least pity for him. 
They had found him useful in helping them to take 
the Prophet of Nazareth, whom they hated, and they 
had paid him for it, and now they did not want to 
have anything more to do with him. 

Ah! why did not the unhappy Judas go to his 
blessed Master? He would not have spoken scornful 
words to him ; He would not have sent him away in 
misery. Judas had heard Him say: “Those who 
come to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” He had heard 
Him also say, “ Come unto Me, all you who are heavy- 
laden, and I will give you rest.” 

Judas was heavy laden; why did he not go to 
Jesus, and confess his sin, and pray to be for- 
given ? 

The reason was this : though he was sorry he had 
sinned against his Master, yet he did not love Him, 
and he never had loved Him. He could not have 
“ wept bitterly,” as Peter did, if his Lord had looked 
at him with sad and loving eyes. The Saviour’s love 
had never touched his heart. 


284 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


You remember, Jesus Himself had said of Judas 
that he was a devil. 

But now I must finish this sad story of the traitor. 

When the chief priests had given him their scorn- 
ful answer, he dashed down the pieces of silver in 
the Temple, and went quickly out. But he could 
not rest — Satan would not let him rest — till he had 
tempted him to commit another fearful sin. 

He got a rope, and hurried into a field ; then he 
climbed up a tree, and fastened one end of the rope 
round a branch, and the other end round his neck. 
When he had done this he threw himself down from 
the tree, and was left hanging. 

Judas had killed himself! 

It was now too late to pray to God for pardon — 
He was dead ! He died unforgiven, and so he went 
to that dreadful place prepared for the devil and for 
wicked spirits ; he went to hell. 


CHAPTER LVII. 

JESUS ON THE CROSS. 

OO the wicked people had got their own way at last, 
and Pilate, the unjust governor, had given ord- 
ers that the Saviour should be crucified. When once 
they had got permission to put the Lord to death, they 
were in a great hurry to have it done ; for their hearts 
were harder than a stone. 



JESUS ON THE CROSS 



286 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


But first of all they took from Jesus the purple: 
robe which they had put on Him to mock Him, and 
they put His own clothes on Him ; then they led 
Him away to Calvary — the place where He was to 
be nailed to the cross. 

Two other men — thieves — were to be crucified at 
the same time ; and each had to carry his own cross 
to the appointed place. But the cross was heavy, 
and the Saviour was very weak. The thieves could 
carry their crosses ; but the burden was more than 
Jesus could bear. 

For see what sufferings He had gone through ! 
It was only the evening before that He had 
taken His last supper with His disciples ; hut 
think of the dreadful agony in the garden after 
that, when great drops of blood came out from II is 
skin, and fell on the ground ! Then remember 
how the wicked people had come to the garden 
and taken Him away to the high priest ; and 
how all that night He had had no sleep nor rest, 
but had been standing before them while they 
treated Him so disgracefully. Remember again, 
how they had taken Him, the first thing in the 
morning, to Pilate, who had ordered Him to be 
cruelly scourged with knotted ropes. 

Was it any wonder, then, that His strength was 
all gone? and that the heavy wooden cross was 
more than He could bear ? 

So as He could not carry it Himself, the sol- 


JESUS ON TIIF CROSS . 


287 


diers caught a man called Simon, who was com- 
ing out of the country, and on him they laid the 
cross that he might bear it after Jesus. 

A great crowd of people followed the Saviour to 
Calvary. There were Ilis enemies, who were rejoic- 



JESUS SINKS BENEATH THE WEIGHT. 


ing at the thought of His coming death : and there 
were a great many women, who grieved and cried 
a great deal, because the great Proj:>het and kind 
Teacher was going to die. 

In all His pain and weakness, Jesus could yet 


288 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


care for these women who were pitying Him so 
much. He turned to them and said, — 

“ Do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves 
and for your children ; for the time is not far off 
when great Doubles and sorrows will come to this 
city, and you will wish to die because you will be so 
unhappy.” 

It was for the wickedness of that city, and be- 
cause the people hated His own beloved Son, that 
God was going in a few years to send them a 
fearful punishment. 

When they were come to the place of crucifixion, 
the soldiers took off the Saviour’s clothes, and made 
Him lie down on the cross. Then they stretched 
out His arms, and hammered large nails through 
His hands to fasten them to the wood ; and other 
large nails they fastened through His feet. When 
this was done, they lifted up the cross, and fixed one 
end of it firmly into a hole made in the ground. 

The two thieves were crucified at the same time, 
one on each side of Jesus ; and then the soldiers 
took the clothes of Jesus and of the other two, and 
divided them amongst themselves. 

When people were crucified, it was the custom 
to write upon the cross, the crime — or fault 
— for which they had been put to death ; but as 
Jesus had done no wrong, Pilate gave an order that 
these words should be written over His head : — 

“ Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.’ 3 ' 


JESUS ON THE CROSS. 


289 


The Jews did not like this at all ; and they 
wanted Pilate to have it taken down ; but he would 
not alter it 

While the Saviour was hanging on the cross, feel- 
ing the most intense pain in every part of His holy 
body, what do you think He did ? He prayed for 
those who were causing Him to die such an agonizing 
death ! 



THE JEWS WAILING PLACE. 


“ Father, forgive them,” He said ; “ for they do 
not know what they do.” 

And all the people stood watching. The chief 
priests and elders and scribes were there, too ; and 
they began mocking and laughing at Jesus. They 
said, — 

“ He saved others; let Him save Himself, and 
come down from the cross, if He is the Son of God.” 


290 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Even one of the thieves mocked Him, and said, 
“ If you are the Messiah, save yourself and us.” 

But the other thief said to his companion, “ Are 
you not afraid to speak like this ? for we have done 
wickedly and deserve to die ; but this man has done 
nothing wrong.” 

Then he looked at Jesus and said, “ Lord, remem- 
ber me when you come into your kingdom.” 

Jesus saw that he was really sorry for all his 
naughtiness, and so He answered, “ To-day you 
shall be with Me in heaven.” 

There was a very sorrowful group standing near 
the Saviour’s cross. His mother was there, and 
three other women who loved Jesus; and John, 
whom Jesus loved, was there also. The mother of 
Jesus had come to see her dear Son die ; and she 
was feeling such sorrow for His terrible sufferings 
that it was as if a sword was piercing her own 
heart. 

Do you remember how, when Jesus was a little 
baby, and His mother and Joseph had taken Him to 
the Temple to present Him to God, good old Simeon 
had foretold that she would one day feel this bitter 
pain ? That time had now come. 

Jesus loved His mother very much, and it made 
Him sad to know how her poor heart was aching. 
He thought of her so tenderly ; and when He saw 
her standing there, and the disciple also whom He 
loved, He said to His mother, “ Behold your son ! ” 


THE DEATH OF JESUS. 


291 


Then He said to J ohn, “ Behold your mother !” 
Jesus meant that John was always to take care of 
Mary now; and so that same hour John took her to 
his own home. 


CHAPTER LVIII. 

THE DEATH OF JESUS. 

YI7HEN the blessed Saviour had been hanging for 
" * three long hours on the cross a strange thing 
happened. Though it was the middle of the day, 
and the sun was shining brightly, God made a sud- 
den darkness come over all that land. 

It was a sign of God’s anger towards those who were 
murdering His Son. For indeed it was an awful 
thing that had been done : sinful men had dared to 
nail the King of Glory to a cross of wood ! 

All the people were frightened at this strange dark- 
ness ; and their mocking voices became silent. Jesus 
also never spoke a word, while He was hanging 
there, so full of pain. When three hours had passed 
away, it began to get light again, and then Jesus 
cried out with a loud voice, — 

“ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?” 
Ah, during all those dark hours the Saviour had 
been suffering more than pain of body ; His soul was 
troubled. He was suffering as He had done in the 





(292) 


VAIE OF THE TEMPLE RENT 




THE CRUCIFIXION. (2 f >3) 



r. 







294 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


garden ; and the burden of our sins was upon Him. 
God had not forsaken Him; but Jesus felt as if 
that dreadful load of sin had made His Father hide 
His face from Him. 

And now He began to feel a burning thirst. His 
tongue was parched and dry, and He said, “ I thirst.” 

Then one of the soldiers ran and filled a sponge 
with vinegar, and put it on a stick, and gave it to 
Jesus. When Jesus had taken it, He said, — 

“ It is finished !” 

And having said this He died. 

All His sorrow and pain were ended now ! His 
spirit had gone to God His Father, though His body 
was still hanging on the cross. 

At the moment of His death there was a great 
earthquake. The earth shook and trembled, and the 
rocks were split and broken. The wicked people 
were frightened now, as they had never been jefore ; 
and many of them when they saw all these things 
feared greatly, and said, — 

“ Truly this was the Son of God.” 

As the evening was coming on, some soldiers were 
sent to se4 if Jesus and the two thieves were really 
dead, because the Jews wanted them to be taken 
down from the cross before sunset, as the next day 
was the Sabbath. The soldiers saw that the thieves 
were still alive, so they broke their legs to kill them 
quickly. 

But when they came to Jesus, they found that He 



CARRYING TO THE TOMB. 


(295) 




296 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


was quite dead ; so they did not break His legs, but 
one of the soldiers took a sharp spear, and pierced 
His side, and blood and water came out of His side, 
and ran down to the ground. 

Now there was a rich man, called Joseph, who 
loved Jesus very much. He had heard Him preach, 
and as he listened, he made up his mind that he 
would always try to do the things that would please 
the Lord. So he was really a disciple of J esus ; but 
he was afraid to say so, because he knew how angry 
the Jews would be. 

But now that Jesus was dead, he was not afraid 
any longer to show that he loved Him. He went 
boldly to Pilate, and asked if he might have the 
body of Jesus, that he might put it in his own new 
tomb — or grave — that he had made in his garden. 

Pilate said, “ Yes, you may take away His body.’’ 

Then Joseph went and took the Saviour’s body 
down from the cross. Nicodemus also went with 
him (you remember he was the ruler who had gone 
to Jesus by night, to be taught by Him ; and lie was 
a disciple too). They took with them some fine 
white linen, and a great quantity of sweet spices ; 
and then they wrapped the body of Jesus in the 
white linen, with the spices. 

When they had done this, they carried Him lov- 
ingly and tenderly, and laid Him in the quiet grave. 

I must tell you what the grave was like. In Jo- 
seph’s garden there was a great rock, and in this rock 


JESUS BISEN. 


297 


a very large hole had been made. It was there they 
laid Jesus gently down, and then they rolled a great 
stone against the hole, to prevent anything from get- 
ting in. 

And so the blessed Saviour had willingly given up 
His life to save a sinful world. But, remember, only 
those can have “ everlasting life ” who love and trust 
in Him. Judas had died that very day, and he had 
not been saved ! Two thieves had died that day, 
but only one is in heaven with Jesus ! 

What did the Lord mean when He cried, “ It is 
finished ? ” What was finished ? His great work of 
saving sinners ; He had borne the curse and the pun- 
ishment for them, and now His work was done — 
completely done — done, once and for ever. 


CHAPTER LIX. 


JESUS RISEN. 



5 women who loved Jesus, and who had stood 


near His cross while He was hanging there in 
all His agony, never left the place till they had seen 
their dear Lord’s body taken down and laid in the 
peaceful grave. They watched till the great stone 
door had been shut, and then they hurried home, 
with aching hearts, to prepare sweet spices and oint- 



(298) THE ENTOMBMENT. 


■ 1 ' “ i 1 1 w t l j t i- — m i _ ii n ^y.i 


JESUS RISEN. 


299 


ment, that they might put them on the Saviour’s 
body. 

They were obliged to be very quick, for the Sab- 
bath was near, and they must do no work of prepara- 
tion on that day. 

One of these women was called Mary Magdalene ; 
and she loved Jesus with all her heart, for He had 
done so much for her. She had been very miserable 
and wretched once, tormented by seven devils ; and 
Jesus had cast out the devils^ and had given her His 
own Holy Spirit; and after that, she felt that she 
could never do enough to show how much she loved 
Him. 

All that Sabbath-day (the day after Jesus had been 
crucified), the faithful women rested, according to the 
commandment. Ah, oh, what a sad, sad day it was 
to them ! 

But on the morning of the third day, very early, 
while it was yet dark, Mary Magdalene and the other 
women got up and took with them the sweet oint- 
ment they had made, and the spices, and went to 
Joseph’s garden, that they might anoint the body of 
their dear Master. 

As they were walking along, they said, “Who shall 
roll away for us the great stone from the grave ? We 
cannot do it ourselves — it is too heavy.” 

But as they came nearer, they found that the stone 
was rolled away ! Who could have done it ? 

They came still closer, and then they saw that the 


300 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


grave was empty — the body of Jesus was not there. 
What could have happened? 

I will tell you. 

The Lord had risen ! He was alive again ! 

There had been a great earthquake, and the angel 
of the Lord had come down from heaven, and had 
rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 
The angel’s face was bright like the light, and his 
clothes were white as the snow ; and for fear of him 
the soldiers (who were keeping guard in the garden) 
trembled exceedingly and fell to the ground, as if they 
were dead. 

Do you not remember how Jesus had always told 
His disciples that He would rise again the third day ? 

But the women did not know the wonderful thing 
that had come to pass in Joseph’s garden that morn- 
ing. They only saw that the body of Jesus was not 
in the grave, and this made them even more sorrow- 
ful than they had been before, for they thought that 
His enemies had stolen it away. 

In terrible grief, without waiting a moment, Mary 
Magdalene ran back, that she might tell the strange 
sad news to Peter and John. 

But now the other women went up quite close to 
the grave and looked in — and what do you think 
they saw ? Two bright angels were sitting there. 

When the women saw them, they were very much 
frightened, and they fell on their faces ; but the angels 
spoke very gently to them. They said, — 


JESUS RISEN. 


301 


“ Do not be afraid ; we know that you are looking 
for Jesus, who was crucified : but He is risen ; He is 
not here. Look at the place where they laid Him. 
And now go and tell His disciples, and Peter, that 
He is risen, and that they shall see Him very 
soon.” 

This was the Saviours own message. How ten- 
der and kind of Him to send a special word to poor 
Peter, who had denied Him, and who had repented 
and cried so bitterly for his sin ! 

Trembling and amazed, but full of joy, the women 
ran from the sepulchre (or grave), to take the glad 
tidings to the eleven apostles. 

But now we must see what had become of Mary 
Magdalene. 

As quickly as she could go, she ran to Peter and 
John, and told her mournful story : “ They have 
taken away the Lord out of the grave, and we do 
not know where they have laid Him.” 

Peter and John listened to her story with great 
astonishment ; then they thought that they must go 
themselves and try and find out what had really 
happened. So they both set off running as fast as 
they could, and Mary Magdalene followed them. 

John ran the quickest, so he came first to the 
grave. He stooped down and looked in — yes ! it 
was quite true ! — the body of Jesus was not there. 
But he saw there the white linen clothes that had 
been wrapped round the Saviour’s body ; they were 



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CHRIST APPEARS TO MARY. 




JESUS RISEN. 


303 


neatly folded up ; and the napkin that had been 
round His head was lying in a place by itself. 

By this time Peter had come up. He was not sat- 
isfied merely to look in the grave — he must go in. 
But he only saw what John had seen — it was an 
empty grave, except for the linen clothes that were 
lying there. 

Afterwards John went into the grave too, and then 
all at once he remembered how Jesus had indeed said 
that He would rise again, So now he believed that 
Jesus had risen. 

After that, the two disciples went away again to 
their own home. 

But Mary could not bear to leave the place. She 
stood outside of the sepulchre weeping : and as she 
wept she stooped down, and looked into the sepul- 
chre. And then she saw two angels in white, sitting, 
one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the 
body of Jesus had lain. 

The angels said to her, “ Why are you crying ?” 

She was too unhappy to feel frightened, and she 
answered, “ Because they have taken away my Lord, 
and I know not where they have laid Him.” 

When she had said this, she turned away, and saw 
Jesus Himself standing near her; but she did not 
know that it was Jesus. 

Jesus said to her, “ Why are you crying? For 
whom are you looking ?” 

She was crying so much that she did not look up 


304 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


into His face, or she would have known who it was. 
She thought that perhaps He was the man who had 
charge of the garden, and so she said to Him, — 

“ Sir, if you have taken Him from here, tell me 
where you have laid Him, and 1 will take Him 
away.” 

Jesus said to her, “Mary !” 

Ah, now she knows who He is ! That one word, 
in that loved voice, she can never mistake ! Quickly 
she turned towards Him now, and said, “0 my 
Master !” 

Can you not imagine how her heart was singing 
with joy, to see her blessed Lord again? Mary Mag- 
dalene was the first to whom Jesus showed Himself 
after He was risen. 

Jesus said to her, “ Go and tell my brothers that I 
am going up to my Father and your Father; to my 
God and your God.” 

He called His disciples His brothers. Though 
they had all forsaken Him, He had quite forgiven 
them. 

Jesus showed Himself afterwards to the other wo- 
men who had gone early to the grave. And when 
they saw Him, they came and held Him by the feet, 
and worshipped Him. Then Jesus said to them, — 

“ Do not be afraid : Go and tell My brothers that 
they shall see Me soon.” 

So Mary Magdalene and the other women went 
and told the disciples, as they mourned and wept, 


THE WALK TO EMMA US. 


305 


that they had seen bright angels, and that they had 
seen the Lord Jesus Himself; and that He had 
spoken these words to them. 

But the disciples did not believe the women, and 
they did not believe that Jesus was alive. Only 
John believed. The others thought the women were 
telling idle, or foolish tales. 


CHAPTER LX. 

THE WALK TO EMMAUS, 

FT! HAT was a joyful, glorious day, when our Lord 
•*“ Jesus Christ rose again from the dead! But 
after He was risen, He did not live with His disci- 
ples as He had done before ; He was always with 
them, and yet they could not always see Him. 

He was the same Jesus, and yet there was a differ- 
ence. He had a human body still, but it was no 
longer a weak body ; it was immortal — that means it 
could never die. Jesus could never suffer pain 
again ; and He could never feel hungry and thirsty 
again ; but still, He could eat and drink, though He 
did not require food. 

But the love of Jesus was just the same, and it will 
remain the same to all eternity ; nothing could alter 
that. In His human body, and in His glorious body, 


20 



( 3 ° 6 ) 


ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS. 





THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 


307 


the heart of Jesus was love — perfect love. And 
never forget that Jesus is God, and God is Love. 

It was the first day of the week — the day that we 
.call Sunday — when Jesus rose from the dead. I told 
you how He showed Himself to Mary Magdalene, 
and to the other women, that happy Easter morning ; 
but none of the Apostles had seen Him yet. 

To which of them, do you think, He would first 
show Himself? To John, whom He loved best? 
and who was the first to believe in His resur- 
rection ? 

No; it was to Peter — poor sorrowing Peter — the 
tender Saviour came. The Bible does not tell us 
what He said to him ; but we may be quite sure that 
He spoke most lovingly to him, and told him his sins 
were all forgiven. 

That same day, two good men were walking to a 
village called Emmaus, which was about eight miles 
from Jerusalem. They were disciples of Jesus, but 
they were not apostles ; perhaps they were of the 
Seventy, whom Jesus had sent out by two and two, 
before His death, to heal and to teach. 

As they were walking along, they were talking of 
all the things that had happened in Jerusalem the 
last few days ; and they were full of sorrow as they 
spoke to each other of the cruel death of the Master 
they loved so much ; for they did not believe He was 
alive again. 

While they were talking, J esus Himself came and 


308 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


joined them in their walk ; but they did not know 
that it was the Lord. He asked them, — 

“ What is it you are talking about ? for I see you 
are very sad/’ 

Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, an- 
swered, “ Have you not heard of all the dreadful 
things which have been done in Jerusalem in these 
days ? ” 

Jesus said to them, “ What things ? ” 

And they said, “ About Jesus of Nazareth, who 
was a great prophet, and who did wonderful things, 
and spoke wonderful words, teaching people about 
God. But the chief priests and our rulers have 
crucified Him. We felt so sure that He was the Son 
of God, the Messiah ; but He could not have been, 
or He would not have been put to death. And another 
strange thing is, that some women came to us this 
morning, and said that they have seen some angels, 
who had told them that Jesus was alive.” 

Then Jesus said to them “ O foolish ones, how 
slow you are to understand what the Scriptures have 
told you about the Messiah ! It was necessary that the 
Son of God should die, and afterwards that He should 
enter into His glory.” 

Then Jesus went on to teach them all that was in 
the Bible about Himself ; and as He spoke, their 
hearts glowed with surprise and joy, for they now 
believed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, though 
He had been crucified. 


THE WALK TO EMMA US. 


309 


How little they thought that it was Jesus Himself 
who was speaking to them ! 

By this time they had come to the house in the 
village, where the two disciples lived; and Jesus 
seemed as if He were going on further. But Cleopas 
and his companion could not bear to part with the 
kind Stranger, who had made their hearts to burn 
with joy and hope again ; and they begged Him very 
earnestly not to go away. 

“ Do stay with us,” they said. “ It is evening now ; 
so do come in and stay with us to-night.” 

Then Jesus went into the house with them. After 
that they got the supper ready, and then they all sat 
round the table. But what did Jesus do? 

Just as in the old days, He took the bread, and 
blessed it, and brake and gave it to them. 

Then they knew Him ! They knew that this was 
indeed their own dear Master ! But that moment, as 
they looked at Him, He disappeared ! He had not 
opened the door, yet He was gone. 

Oh, how happy they were to think that they had 
seen their Lord again with their own eyes ! They 
ate the bread which they had received from His 
hands ; but as soon as they had finished their supper, 
though it was now night, they hurried back again to 
Jerusalem, all those long eight miles, that they might 
tell the Apostles the joyful news, that they had seen 
the Lord. 


310 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER LXI. 

JESUS SHOWS HIS HANDS, AND FEET, AND SIDE. 

TT was the evening of that same happy Easter-day, 
when the Apostles, with others also who loved 
the Lord Jesus, were assembled together in a large 
upper room — perhaps the very room where Jesus had 
washed their feet, and eaten His last supper with 
them. The door was kept very carefully locked, be- 
cause they were afraid of the Jews. 

And now two friends had just come in — Cleopas 
and his companion. But before they could tell their 
story, the Apostles said to them, — 

“ The Lord is risen indeed ; we believe it now, for 
Peter has seen Him.” 

Then Cleopas and the other said, “ And we have 
seen Him too ; and we have come back from Emmaus 
to tell you about it.” 

So they told the whole story : how the Lord had 
joined them in their walk — how He had taught them 
more about the Bible than they had ever known be- 
fore — and how they did not know it was Jesus, till 
He had broken the bread. While they were sitting 
talking together about it, all at once they saw Jesus 
standing before them. The door was still locked — He 
had not opened it — yet there He was. 

“ Peace be to you,” He said. 


JESUS SHOWS HIS HANDS AND FEET. 311 


But they were dreadfully frightened, for they could 
not. believe that it was Jesus. Just as when He had 
walked to them on the water, they thought that He 
was a spirit. 

With the same tenderness as of old, Jesus said to 
them, “ Why are you troubled ? and why do you 
doubt? . See My hands and My feet, that it is I; 
handle Me and see.; for a spirit has not flesh and 
bones as you see I have.” 

And when He had said this, He showed them His 
hands and His feet. Yes ; there were the holes, made 
by the large nails ; there could be no doubt of it — it 
must be Jesus. 

The disciples could scarcely believe it, even yet, 
for joy; it seemed too good to be true. So Jesus 
said to them, — 

“ Can you give me something to eat ? ” 

He was not hungry, and He did not require food ; 
but He knew that if He ate before them, they would 
be satisfied, and would not doubt or fear any longer. 

How kind of J esus ! 

Then the disciples gave Him a piece of a broiled 
fish and of a honey-comb. And He took it, and did 
eat before them. 

Then Jesus said to them again, “ Peace be unto 
you : as My Father has sent me, so I send you to 
teach others.” 

And He breathed on them and said, “ Receive the 
Holy Ghost” 


312 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 



He gave them more of His Holy Spirit, to make 
them more fit for the work He had given them to 
do. 

And so ended that happy, blessed day. 

Now Thomas, one of the Eleven, was not with the 
others that night, when Jesus came; and when th 
disciples told him that they had seen the Lord, he 
would not believe it. He answered, — 


JERUSALEM — DAMASCUS GATE. 

“ Except I shall see in His hands the print of 
the nails, and put my finger in the print of the nails, 
and put my hand into the hole in His side, I will 
not believe.” 

He loved Jesus very much ; but he had lost all 
hope of ever seeing his dear Master again. He was 
very, very sad ; and he refused to be comforted. 

A whole week had passed away, and the disciples 


JESUS SHO \VS HIS HANDS AND FEET. 313 

had not seen the Lord again. But the next Sunday 
evening, they were again assembled in that upper 
room, and Thomas with them, when Jesus again 
stood suddenly before them. 

“ Peace be to you,” He said. 

Then He said to Thomas, “ Reach hither your 
finger, and put it into My hands ; and reach hither 
your hand and put it into My side : and do not be 
faithless, but believe.” 

And Thomas did not doubt any longer. He knew 
that it was Jesus ; and he knew that Jesus had 
heard his doubting words, and had seen his unbe 
lieving but loving heart. All unbelief has gone 
away in a moment ; and he calls Jesus (what none 
of the others have called Him yet) his God. With 
a glad and thankful joy he exclaimed, — 

“ My Lord and My God.” 

Jesus said to him, “ Thomas, you believe because 
you have seen Me : blessed are those who have not 
seen, and yet have believed.” 

We have not seen Jesus ; but if we believe in 
Him, and love Him, and trust in Him, that blessing 


ts ours. 


314 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


CHAPTER LXII. 

BY THE LAKE OF GENNESARETH. 

ANCE more the Apostles are back again at their 
^ old home by the lake of Gennesareth. Why 
are they there ? 

Because Jesus had told them to go into Galilee, 
where He had lived and taught so long, and that 
He would meet them there. So they went as they 
were told, and now they were waiting for their Lord 
to come. 

But He did not come immediately ; and as they 
were poor men, and obliged to work for their daily 
food, they began again their old trade of fishing. 

Peter was the first to propose it. He said, — “ I 
am going to fish.” 

And then the others said, “ We will go with you.” 

So they got ready a boat, and in the evening they 
set sail ; for night ^is always the best time to catch 
fish. But all that night they were fishing, without 
being able to catch anything. How disappointing it 
was, after working hard for so many hours ! 

When the morning was come they saw Jesus 
standing on the shore, close by the water ; but they 
did not know that it was Jesus He called out to 
them, — 

“ Have you caught anything ? ” 

They answered Him, 44 No.” 


BY THE LAKE OF GENNESARETH. 


315 


And He said to them, “ Throw out the net on the 
right side of the boat, and you shall find.” 

Then they threw out the net as they were told ; 
and now they were not able to draw it up, because 
there were such a number of great fishes in it. 
This miracle made them think of another, a long 
time ago, when just the same thing happened. Ah, 
that man on the shore was no stranger ! 

“ It is the Lord,” John said. 

Now when Peter heard that it was the Lord, he 
was in such a hurry to go to Jesus that He threw 
himself into the water and swam to the shore. The 
others followed more slowly in the boat, dragging 
the net with fishes. And after they had counted 
them, they found there were a hundred and fifty-three. 

As soon as they had come to land they saw a fire 
of coals there, and some fish laid upon it, and some 
bread. Who had prepared all this? 

It was Jesus ; for He knew His poor disciples were 
cold, and hungry. How kind He always was ! 

Then He said to them, “ Come and dine.” 

And none of the disciples dared ask Him, “ Who 
are you ? ” knowing that it was the Lord. 

Jesus then came, and took bread, and gave it to 
them, and fish also. You see He was just the same 
tender Saviour ; He waited on them Himself, and 
fed them with His own hands. 

When they had dined, Jesus said to Peter, “ Do 
you love Me more than the others love Me ? ” 


316 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


Peter answered, “ Yes, Lord ; you know that i 
love you.” 

Jesus said to him, “ Feed My little lambs.” That 
means, Tell little children about Me, and teach 
them the way to heaven. 

Jesus said to him again the second time, “ Peter, 
do you love Me ? ” 

And he answered, “ Yes, Lord ; you know that I 
love you.” 

Jesus said, “ Feed My sheep.” That means, Tell 
people I have died for them, and urge them to 
repent of all their sins. 

Jesus said to him the third time, “ Peter, do you 
love Me?” 

Peter was grieved because Jesus said to him the 
third time, “ Do you love Me ? ” and he answered, 
“ Lord, you know everything ; you know that I love 
you.” 

Jesus said, “ Feed My beloved sheep.” 

The Saviour knew quite well that Peter did really 
love Him ; why then did He ask this question so 
many times ? 

Because Peter had three times denied his Lord, 
and had said he did not know Him ; so Jesus wished to 
hear him say three times that He loved Him. Peter 
was very humble now ; he thought little of himself ; 
and his heart was full of love to his blessed Master. 

Then Jesus told Peter what was going to happen 
to him when he was old. He said, — 


THE ASCENSION. 


317 


“ When you were young, you were able to go 
about where you pleased; but when you shall be 
old, you shall stretch out your hands, and another 
shall lead you where you do not wish to go.” 

What did this mean ? 

Jesus meant that Peter would be crucified. 
Wicked men would take him and nail him on a 
cross, because he loved his heavenly Master. We do 
not know whether Peter quite understood this then ; 
but we do know, that though he had to suffer so 
much afterwards for his Master’s sake, yet he never 
denied Him again. 


CHAPTER LXIII. 

THE ASCENSION. 

TlHE beautiful story of our Lord Jesus Christ is 
almost ended ; for the time was drawing very 
near for Him to go up into heaven. He only re- 
mained forty days upon earth after He was risen 
from the dead ; and I have told you almost all that 
the Bible tells us, of what He did during those days. 

No one saw Jesus after His resurrection, except 
those who loved Him — He would not let Himself be 
seen by His enemies — but there were a great many 
who did love Him very much. 

You remember Jesus had told His disciples to go 
into Galilee, and that He would meet them there ; 


318 


TALKS TO CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS. 


and you have heard how He showed Himself to the 
Apostles at the Lake of Gennesareth. 

After that, the Lord told them to go up into a 
mountain in Galilee, and that there He would meet all 
those who knew and loved Him. What a happy 
meeting that must have been ! More than five hun- 
dred disciples climbed up the mountain that day, to 
see the Lord they loved. 

Then Jesus came and spoke to them ; and when 
they saw Him, they worshipped Him ; but some 
doubted even yet. 

Jesus said to them, “ All power is given unto Me 
in heaven and earth. Go therefore to all nations, 
and teach them, as I have taught you ; for lo, I am 
with you always, even to the end of the world.” 

And now, once again they are in Jerusalem ; for 
the time has come when Jesus must go away from 
His loved disciples into heaven. They were in the 
city, but He led them out, as far as to Bethany . 

It was their last walk with Him ; and as they 
went, He told them what they were to do when He 
was gone. He told them that His Father would 
soon pour down the Holy Spirit on them ; and after 
that, they were to preach the Gospel everywhere, 
beginning at Jerusalem — that wicked city where He 
was crucified. 

When Jesus had spoken all these things, He lifted 
up His hands and blessed them. And it came to 
pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from 


THE ASCENSION. 


319 


them, and taken up into heaven, and a cloud re- 
ceived Him out of their sight. 

And while they still looked steadfastly towards 
heaven, as He went up, behold two angels stood by 
them, in white garments ; and the angels said, — 

“ Wliy do you stand gazing up into heaven ? This 
same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, 
will come again one day from the sky.” 

Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem again 
with great joy, praising and blessing God. 

This is the story of Jesus! Does it not make 
you love Him ? 

Dear children, remember that if you love Him, 
He is with you always, even now, though you cannot 
see Him. He loves, you. He is gone to heaven to 
prepare a place for you there. 

Never believe that He does not care for you.; 
Satan will often tempt you to think this; but it is, 
not true. Why, He died for you ! 

But perhaps you do not love Jesus. Ah ! that is 
very sad ! Yet, if you confess this to Him, and ask , 
Him to make you love Him — to put His \ove in your 
heart — He will do it. His promise is, “ Him that ; 
cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” 

And, remember, He is coming again ! 

We do not know how soon He may come ; but 
whenever it maybe, God grant, dear children, that, 
you may be prepared to meet "Him, that you may 
live with Him for ever. Amen. 



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